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| photo by Lori Ann |
Are cloth diapers a thing of the past, or the wave of the future? With so many environmental benefits of using cloth diapers, not to mention the financial savings, switching from disposable to cloth may be worth looking in to. So, what difference does it make on the environment if you switch to this eco-friendly alternative?
Green Benefits of Cloth Diapers
The primary reason to choose cloth diapers instead of disposables is waste reduction. Cloth diapers are washed and reused over and over again. Disposable diapers are tossed into the trash and end up in landfills. The average child contributes 1 ton of diaper waste by the age of two. An estimated two percent of landfill waste is due to baby diapers. Considering that it takes 450 years for disposable diapers to decompose, according to the EPA, that percentage will inevitably increase each year unless more people use cloth diapers. Just something to think about when you change your child's diaper four to ten times each day.
Another eco benefit of using cloth diapers is a reduction of toxins. Dioxin, a known carcinogen, is found in disposable diapers as a result of the bleaching process. Another chemical, tributyl-tin or TBT is found in disposables, according to Greenpeace research. It can be absorbed into the skin and it also ends up in the environment. TBT can affect the human immune system and upset hormonal balance.
Cloth Diapers Aren't Perfect
Despite the environmental benefits of using cloth diapers, the reusable alternative is far from perfect. First, there is more work involved unless you use a diaper cleaning service. No matter who is doing the washing, cloth diapers need to be washed after each use, and this means an increase in water use. They also eventually end up in the waste stream. Cloth will decompose faster than disposable diapers and obviously the number of cloth diapers accumulating in landfills is nothing compared to the massive tonnage of disposables.
So what is the easy answer? Is there one? What diaper you use is a personal decision that depends on many factors. If you can afford a diaper cleansing service, then cloth diapers ultimately are a win-win situation. Without the cleaning work involved, the increase in water use is a more eco-friendly alternative to the increase in landfill waste.
Another option is compromise. Buy a package of cloth diapers and use them some of the time. Most parents are aware of their child's habits. Why not use a cloth diaper once or twice during the day when there is no danger of a bowel movement and a more serious clean-up. You'll save money and over the two or three years of diaper use, the total diaper waste will be significantly less.
Green Benefits of Cloth Diapers
The primary reason to choose cloth diapers instead of disposables is waste reduction. Cloth diapers are washed and reused over and over again. Disposable diapers are tossed into the trash and end up in landfills. The average child contributes 1 ton of diaper waste by the age of two. An estimated two percent of landfill waste is due to baby diapers. Considering that it takes 450 years for disposable diapers to decompose, according to the EPA, that percentage will inevitably increase each year unless more people use cloth diapers. Just something to think about when you change your child's diaper four to ten times each day.
Another eco benefit of using cloth diapers is a reduction of toxins. Dioxin, a known carcinogen, is found in disposable diapers as a result of the bleaching process. Another chemical, tributyl-tin or TBT is found in disposables, according to Greenpeace research. It can be absorbed into the skin and it also ends up in the environment. TBT can affect the human immune system and upset hormonal balance.
Cloth Diapers Aren't Perfect
Despite the environmental benefits of using cloth diapers, the reusable alternative is far from perfect. First, there is more work involved unless you use a diaper cleaning service. No matter who is doing the washing, cloth diapers need to be washed after each use, and this means an increase in water use. They also eventually end up in the waste stream. Cloth will decompose faster than disposable diapers and obviously the number of cloth diapers accumulating in landfills is nothing compared to the massive tonnage of disposables.
So what is the easy answer? Is there one? What diaper you use is a personal decision that depends on many factors. If you can afford a diaper cleansing service, then cloth diapers ultimately are a win-win situation. Without the cleaning work involved, the increase in water use is a more eco-friendly alternative to the increase in landfill waste.
Another option is compromise. Buy a package of cloth diapers and use them some of the time. Most parents are aware of their child's habits. Why not use a cloth diaper once or twice during the day when there is no danger of a bowel movement and a more serious clean-up. You'll save money and over the two or three years of diaper use, the total diaper waste will be significantly less.
