Disposable Diapers
Disposable diapers were introduced by Procter & Gamble in 1961. First used as an occasional convenient substitute for cloth diapers, their popularity has since exploded. By 1990 they were the primary diapering method for 85% of American parents. As a result, 2.7 million tons of disposable diapers are discarded every year, a point decried by environmentalists.
Proponents of reusables argue that this accounts for only two to three% of America's solid waste. Although detailed studies have examined the influence of both kinds of diapers on such variables as water consumption, water pollution, energy consumption, air pollution, and waste generation, there are no indisputable conclusions about which choice is better for the environment. Each study was based on different assumptions and came to different conclusions. Most were commissioned by either the disposable-diaper or reusable-diaper industry, and each side put their respective diapers slightly ahead of the other's.
Disposable diapers and their packaging create more solid waste than reusables, and because they are used only once, consume more raw materials—petrochemicals and wood pulp—in their manufacture. And although disposable diapers should be emptied into the toilet before the diapers are thrown away, many people skip this step, which puts feces (that may be contaminated with pathogens) into landfills and incinerators. There is no indication, however, that this practice has resulted in any increase in health problems. But cloth diapers affect the environment as well. They are made of cotton, which is watered with irrigation systems and treated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. They are laundered and dried up to 78 (commercial) or 180 (home) times, consuming more water and energy than disposables. In fact, home laundering is less energy efficient than commercial because it is done on a smaller scale. Diaper services make deliveries in trucks, which expends another measure of energy and generates more pollution. Human waste from cotton diapers is treated in sewer systems. Some disposable diapers are advertised as biodegradable and claim to pose less of a solid-waste problem than regular disposables. Their waterproof cover contains a cornstarch derivative that decomposes into water and carbon dioxide when exposed to water and air. Unfortunately, modern landfills are airtight and little, if any, degradation occurs. Biodegradable diapers, therefore, are not significantly different from other disposables.
Resources
Periodicals
Poore, P. "Disposable Diapers Are OK." Garbage 4 (October-November 1992): 26-8+.
Raloff, J. "Reassessing Costs of Keeping Baby Dry [Cloth vs. Disposable]." Science News 138 (1 December 1990): 347.
Rathje, W., and C. Murphy. "Cotton vs. Disposables: What's the Damage." Garbage 4 (October-November 1992): 29-30.
Other
Lehrburger, C., J. Mullen, and C. V. Jones. Diapers: Environmental Impacts and Lifecycle Analysis (Summary). Report to the National Association of Diaper Services, Philadelphia, PA. January 1991.
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