Paper or Plastic?

Babies have a huge environmental footprint. Since most parents go with disposable diapers (AKA nappies), the impact of this practice on landfills is significant. It takes a disposable diaper 200-500 years to completely decompose. Cloth diapers aren’t perfect — they require water, energy (hot water) and chemicals (detergent). However, many parents look at cloth diapers as the lesser of two evils. They believe they have more environmental choices with cloth diapers — unbleached cotton, an energy-star washer, no bleach, etc.

Some facts you should know about disposable diapers courtesy of Green Babies, Sage Moms:

The rate of diaper rash increased from 7.1 percent of babies to 61 percent with the increased use of conventional disposable diapers.

Sodium polyacrylate is the chemical that makes disposables superabsorbent–up to 100 times its weight in water which sticks to baby’s privates and causes allergic reactions. This chemical was removed from tamponss in 1985 when it was linked to toxic shock syndrome.

Some studies show a rise in urinary-tract infections in babies as caretakers tend to not change disposables as frequently as cloth.

Superabsorbent diapers heat up when wet which is a concern for boys’ developing testes.

The carcinogen dioxin is a by-product of the paper bleaching process used in manufacturing disposable diapers.

Reusable diapers aren’t what they used to be. In days past, the most common diaper type was a flat piece of cloth that had to be folded to fit a baby’s form and then fastened with safety pins. Today there are cloth diapers that resemble disposable diapers with their contoured shape, elastic in the legs and back, and easy closures like Velcro or snaps. Some diapers have a one-size option, so that one diaper can last from birth to potty learning.

There are also biodegradeable diapers made with plant-based plastics (bioplastics). These non-petroleum based diapers are compostable. While these have been found not to break down under landfill conditions, there are other options to compost them such as using a composting toilet, an earthworm system, or a highly active and properly conditioned composting area. Hybrid diapers have removable inserts that can safely biodegrade when flushed.

Cloth diapers are infinitely more attractive than disposable diapers. When disposable diapers are your only option then it is easy to put function before fashion but with cloth diapers you can have it all. Cloth diapers come with a variety of different fabric options . . . velour, bamboo, organic cotton, silk, and fleece, among others. The fabric patterns and colors are also endless. From electric pink to midnight blue and from tie dye to Tinkerbell, parents who use cloth diapers never get bored with all their choices.

The baby business is booming and you can easily spend a fortune on diapers, baby clothing, accessories, toys, and furniture. If you need to be cost conscious then cloth diapers will help you save money. It is almost always more frugal to reuse items than to buy new every time and cloth diapers are no exception. Experts estimate that disposable diapers can easily cost up to $3000 over a three year period. Cloth diaper costs usually range $300 to $800 from birth to age three.

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