In India, where around 27 million children are born a year and a growing middle class is turning to disposables, authorities are worried that diapers are not being discarded properly. The board recommends burial or incineration. Despite strict traditional rules governing the disposal of bodily fluids in many societies, the lure of disposables is too much for many families.
It is leading to a culture clash. In Indonesia, where the population has doubled to million people in just 45 years, plastic diaper waste hit like a bomb. The Brantas River, a water source for 6 million people in the eastern part of the island, has become notorious for its diaper problem.
Many communities believe that burning or burying diapers will cause sickness and skin rashes in children. Elders say that if the soiled diapers are instead thrown into the river, the baby will not suffer. Canals and irrigation ditches are popular places to toss them. We estimate 1.
Diapers create even more ocean pollution than plastic bags in Java, according to Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation Ecoton , a small Indonesian environmental group. Ecoton has found plastic fibers, likely from diapers, in 80 percent of the fish examined in the Brantas River. Another frontier for giant diaper companies is Africa. I remember very clearly that I had like 26 dozen cloth diapers of different kinds, some were thicker. I would put 3 or so together and fold them to fit him at the time.
I rinsed them in the toilet and kept them in a diaper pail with a solution of water and Stanley Degreaser, if anyone remembers Stanley products. When it came to washing them I would dump the entire contents into the washing machine, run it on the spin cycle and then turn it on to start the washing cycle.
I hung them on the clothes line and his diapers were always clean, white with no stains and smelled fresh. If the weather was bad I would hang them over a wooden rack that sat over the floor heater. I used plastic pants over his diapers at night and if we were going somewhere otherwise from the time he was born it was just cloth diapers.
Five years later when I had my daughter they had started making disposables but I used cloth with her also. I did use disposables when we traveled and that was it. That was their original purpose. My babies never had diaper rash. First thing in the morning and after bowel movements they got what I call a butt bath in the sink.
There were no wipes, they were cleaned with wash rags. I would just throw their sleeper up over their shoulder and lay them across my left arm and wash their bottom with soap and water, wrap a towel around them and go put a new diaper on them.
To this day neither one likes to be dirty. As with anything to much of it is bad for you including disposable diapers. If I was having babies now I would still do it the way I did then and be a proud mama. I hear women saying they are to busy and such well I worked and ran another business out of my house. Even at my age I still do not take any prescription drugs, I am into natural health.
I think people should not listen to all the prescription ads on TV and think for themselves. I think doctors are great if you have a broken bone or such but I do not go them for my preventive health. As with the diaper ads on TV, it is mind over matter and what is important to you. If it is important you will enjoy doing it.
Just my opinion…. Thank you for sharing this Brenda. I LOVE that you wrote this article. SO many people are misenformed about disposable diapers becasue they make money telling us they are amazing! Sure disposables are bad, cloth is better and EC can be amazing. I am sure far more than that do not use them. Even that is a stretch for me to believe.
I find it shameful when people make up their own statistics to try to make a point. In my opinion if nullifies the point they are trying to make. Actually, my numbers are conservative.
And of course we are talking about American babies, or American parents. That is self-evident in context with the rest of the section. But still, my numbers are conservative. The Real Diaper Association estimates that For those of you that cloth diaper and are concerned with the cost of cd safe rash cream… Have you tried organic unrefined coconut oil??? After a series of nasty rashes when my baby was nearly 6 months, I just told him straight up that it was time to get our big parent panties on and do it.
And the route we went… totally affordable. I hate articles like this. So much of the information on disposable diapers is incorrect and assumed. And then you need the different sizes for as your child gets older! And then of course there is the fact that your article makes it sound as if diaper rash and finding gel beads is normal among children who wear disposable, I can say that in my sons two years of life, not only have I never seen a gel bead, but neither of them have ever had a diaper rash same goes for the years I spent babysitting before having children Overall I think that the choice of diapers to use is a personal one, and articles like this are great, assuming you have the statistics to back it up.
Otherwise it comes off sounding assumptive and degrading to those of us who choose to cloth diaper. The exact statistics for the environmental, health and economical costs of using disposables vs. I suggest that you read through the many comments to hear what parents who made the switch have to say. They would beg to differ with your assessment greatly. As for a cost by cost analysis for water, electricity, etc.
Some parents, in attempt to be healthier and more eco-friendly, pay on the high end for so-called biodegradable or unbleached diapers. Your mileage may vary. And even though you are rash free, saving money and rinsing the poop, disposable diapers still are the number three item found in our overburdened landfills, they contain toxic chemicals and byproducts in every stage of their lifecycle, and the oil they require to produce, package and ship all for something we throw away after using for only 3 hours!!
Which is why I wrote this article. My intention is not to degrade but to inform. Unlike almost every other article about cloth vs. Can I marry you??!!!!
Yes, I hope that more people will wake up to just how dangerous and wasteful disposables are. Cost, convenience, and toxicity aside, you cannot deny the fact that every single one of those diapers will end up in the landfill, buried under the ground, where it will sit indefinitely. Even before we considered the monetary cost all I could think of was how I would feel wearing plastic all day.
I hated how I felt after just a couple days of them! Then we discovered the long term savings and my husband was sold on it too. Congrats Jess! And good for you. Now I almost look forward to it each month cause I have so many fun and pretty pads! This is usually because the products we have been using are also packed with chemicals, much like the diapers. Benefits of cloth abound! Great question! Laundry detergents are some of the most toxic products you can have in your house or near your skin for sure.
But you cannot wash cloth diapers with just any detergent without chemical build-up that will just ruin your diapers. Also, some moms make their own detergent, saving tons of money as well as being less toxic. Thanks for commenting! Because a newborn usllauy needs to be changed very frequently, the most economical way to go is prefolds and covers. You may be able to get by with less than that, it just depends how often you want to wash diapers. I usllauy wash every other day. I would recommend getting unbleached prefolds, they are softer than the bleached ones.
You also have the option of using fitted diapers and covers this is one of the systems we use on my son now as a toddler. These come in sized or one size fits all versions. Then there are pocket diapers or all-in-one diapers. These two types are similar, except that pocket diapers have a removable absorbent part where as the AIOs are all sewn together in one piece. These also come in sized or one size fits all versions.
Good luck and congrats on your baby! What about the launadry soap you use to wash them in? Some soap has many many cancer causing chemicals in them. Just asking. Laundry soaps do have a lot of chemicals in them. Great article!! I confronted that idea in my cloth diaper article. My son went to childcare, first in a home setting and then in a center. None of the care providers we interviewed refused to accept cloth diapers. They did have these conditions: 1.
No pins or hook-grips. Snaps or Velcro only. No cloth wipes. We had to provide disposable wipes. The centers told us they were required by state law to seal every used diaper in a plastic bag. In addition to the waste of resources, this meant that when I emptied the wetbag at night I had to tear open the plastic around each diaper before I put it into the pail, which was annoying!
But it was still better than disposables. Some providers may refuse anyway, but the more often parents ask—especially if those parents then go with other providers—the more likely they are to change their minds. Baby poop is pretty yucky no matter what. There is no inherent reason why using cloth would be grosser, especially if you are using one of the newer, all-in-one types. Blowouts usually happen LESS often in cloth. Thanks for sharing your ideas about getting childcare centers on board with cloth!!
I swear every time she poops in disposable we need a whole outfit change. My son was allergic to all Pamper type dieaprs. The first month, I had diaper service. Was glad to get feeling better so I could do my own. They do get a bit expensive. He had a real sensitive bottom and top. He never even sat with a wet diaper. His skin was to sensitive to take a chance, Besides, I would not have wanted to wear one, why should he?
By the time he was walking he wanted to go to his pot. I just showed it to him and let him set on it. He told me when he was ready to use it. Cloth dieaprs are a bit of work but It was much better I think. Just make sure you get them washed and rinsed really good.
I washed in really hot water twice, and I rinsed them in warm water, twice. I used one of the old fashioned wringer washers. It was a trip!! An interesting thing to consider, however, is that disposable diapers actually have a smaller impact on the environment than reusable diapers. I am an Environmental Science major and have studied extensive life cycle analysis comparing the two. When you factor in the energy required for the washing machines, and creation of the diapers compared to the entire life cycle of the disposable diapers, disposable diapers actually have a higher Energy use.
Energy use is just a small part of the whole picture. When you look at the FULL cost accounting, cloth diapers win the sustainability contest hands down. Assuming the average baby will use 6, disposable diapers vs.
Compared to cloth, disposable diapers are not environmentally, economically or socially sustainable in the least. Thank you for such a well written article! I am going to share this with my customers and fellow mammas.
Great post! We are getting ready for baby 2 to be born next week and have all our new born cloth diapers ready to go! Using cloth is so much better, I wish more people would realize it can actually be so easy. This is a great article and one of the most comprehensive I have seen concerning disposables vs cloth! My only nitpick is that you talk rightly so about disposables production being dependent on oil and the problem that poses. However, you then mention PUL covers as being an acceptable option in cloth.
PUL is polyurethane which also relies on an oil based production. So not the most Eco-friendly option, if you want to make a perfectly fair comparison. Technically, every article of clothing on your body right now required oil to produce, if only to farm, weave, sew and deliver the cotton.
Cloth diapers, given that the PUL covers are made once and then are reused indefinitely, are significantly less oil dependent than disposables. However, only elimination communication is oil-free, cost-free and the most healthy for baby and the planet.
I have a 3 year old, who is potty trained now, but we used the Bum Genius one size with him from day one. Now my 7 month old is using the same set. Even more savings! Our only problem has been overnight. Both boys have a tendency to develop red splatches doctor has us put Lotrimon on it- I am looking for a more natural alternative. Our compromise has been to use one disposable per day- overnight, which pretty much eliminates the problem.
If anyone has any tips on that, I would love to eliminate the one disposable. Angelyn, Have you tried a fitted diaper and cover? These usually work better for over night. I find great success in using Hemp or Bamboo added to my pockets at night. The classic image of a cotton sheet held on with safety pins is no longer the reality. With all-in-one cloth diapers, all you do is shake solids from the diaper, and throw them in the washing machine.
Not only are they environmentally friendly, but cost about half as much as the seven thousand diapers a child uses before potty training. Are you having another child? The only cost is laundering if you chose not to do it at home.
Reusables require scant investment instead of a constant drain on your wallet. For the sake of convenience, there are plenty of companies that provide delivery and laundering services. There are green and eco-friendly cleaners as well, so your environmental impact from cloth diaper use has the potential to be negligible.
The cost of laundering services, combined with the purchase of cloth diapers, is almost equal to that of using disposable diapers. Cloth diapers save us significant energy, water, raw materials, and landfill space when compared to single-use diapers. Diapers are a necessity for your child. The negative impact on our environment is not.
Our total amount of waste produced globally is expected to double by This is one way we can lessen our impact. Most babies wear diapers nearly 24 hours a day, and those diapers are in constant contact with both skin and mucus membranes. Dioxins — Many baby diapers are bleached with chlorine, resulting in remaining traces of dioxins. Others can cause neurological problems, eye irritation, and decreased immunity.
SAP also irritates skin, can cause staph infections, and may be related to other health problems, as well. Many parents feel the convenience associated with disposable diapers mitigates the negative environmental effects the diapers have. As I previously mentioned, dioxins are one of the unfortunate side effects of diapering with bleached disposable diapers. The other environmental issue is their lake of quick biodegradability. Likewise, because the diapers contain human waste, they may contain viruses and bacteria that can seep into the groundwater.
Here are some great alternatives. Cloth Diapers: Today, as they were decades ago, cloth diapers remain the environmental gold standard in diapers. These diapers have more than uses before they are relegated to the rag bin. Parents can buy several sets of washable waterproof diaper covers and just change the diaper inserts unless more cleanup is needed.
Opt for unbleached, organic cotton. Diaper Service: Disposable diapers are quite expensive. In fact, the Real Diaper Industry Association estimates single use disposable diapers costs more than twice what a diaper service will cost.
Diaper services deliver clean cloth diapers weekly or monthly, removing used diapers and cleaning them for redelivery. Diaper services are a great way to provide a baby with environmentally friendly cloth diapers with minimal work for mom and dad. The diapers are also dioxin-free and chlorine-free. Flushable diaper liners: Parents can also purchase soft, flushable diaper liners to line cloth diapers, making clean up much easier.
When the baby soils the diaper, remove the liner and flush it down the toilet. Chlorine-free disposable diapers: Sometimes parents do need to use disposable diapers. While this should only be a sometimes option instead of every day use, there are environmentally friendly, biodegradable, chlorine free diapers.
Brands to try include Bambo, Nature Babycare, and Tushies. I have been using cloth diapers on my daughter since she was 8 weeks old.
Thank you for this informative post. Though I am aware of many in Attachment Parenting circles exploring this, I have yet to read an article or review of the subject by more of a mainstream voice. I would like to add that disposable diapers cause diaper rash.
I diapered my first child in disposables and poor thing was always in rash pain.
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