Since Proctor & Gamble first introduced the Pampers disposable diapers to the marketplace in 1961 the debate has raged over which diapering choice is the most earth-friendly. While cloth diapers can be reused, they require hot water and electricity to wash. Disposable diapers are not recyclable and can sit in landfills for years. And yet, when babies go, it's got to go somewhere, right?
Most environmentalists agree that cloth diapers are the most earth-friendly choice. Conventional disposable diapers contain fabric that has been bleached with chlorine, a process which creates substances, including dioxin, a carcinogen. Many studies have linked dioxin to birth defects and reproductive disorders. Additionally conventional diapers contain fragrances that can contain any number of chemicals including the hormone-disrupting phthalates.
While cloth diapers do require more electricity and water to launder, a 1991 study by an independent environmental agency found that disposable diapers use 20 times more raw materials, 3 times as much energy and 2 times as much water as cloth, and they obviously generate way more waste. While these facts might make some diaper-changing parents groan, it isn't as bad as you think. Today there are some really hi-tech cloth diapers that are practically as easy as disposables. And there are some green-er alternatives to traditional disposables. A few companies have come out with biodegradable or chlorine-free diapers, and one company, G Diapers, has come out with a flushable diaper that has a reusable cloth outer and flushable chlorine-free inserts.
Note: Though much ado has been made about the gel beads in diapers (Sodium Polyacrylate) due to a flawed study which implicated its use in tampons to toxic shock syndrome, many, many studies have since proven its safety.
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