The Disposable Truth
When you want the best for your baby, sometimes going back to basics is better. The manufacturing processes for disposable diapers leave their finished products with harmful toxins which are absorbed through your baby's skin over time. While some chemicals can be harmless in small doses for humans, use of disposable diapers from birth to potty training exposes your baby to unnecessary harm.
Sodium polyacrylate, the water-absorbing gel in many consumer products has been linked with toxic shock syndrom by providing an environment for toxin-producing bacteria to grow.
Dioxin found in disposable diapers is a carcinogenic chemical from the paper-bleaching process. While banned in most countries, but not in the U.S., this toxin can damage immune systems and cause birth defects and cancer.
Tributyl-tin (TBT), dibutyl-tin and monobutyl-tin and other organotins* have been discovered in disposable diapers. TBT is an extremely toxic pollutant that harms the immune and hormonal systems in humans and animals. Dibutyl-tin is used in PVC plastics and is known to interfere with the natural ability of human and animals cells to control important immune responses and inflammation.
*Organotins are a class of widely used, yet understudied industrial chemicals. The synthetic compounds are used in manufacturing to stabilize polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics and in wood preservatives and antifouling paints to kill pests. The molecules consist of a tin unit with either one (mono), two (di), three (tri) or four (tetra) attached hydrocarbon groups.
Sodium polyacrylate, the water-absorbing gel in many consumer products has been linked with toxic shock syndrom by providing an environment for toxin-producing bacteria to grow.
Dioxin found in disposable diapers is a carcinogenic chemical from the paper-bleaching process. While banned in most countries, but not in the U.S., this toxin can damage immune systems and cause birth defects and cancer.
Tributyl-tin (TBT), dibutyl-tin and monobutyl-tin and other organotins* have been discovered in disposable diapers. TBT is an extremely toxic pollutant that harms the immune and hormonal systems in humans and animals. Dibutyl-tin is used in PVC plastics and is known to interfere with the natural ability of human and animals cells to control important immune responses and inflammation.
*Organotins are a class of widely used, yet understudied industrial chemicals. The synthetic compounds are used in manufacturing to stabilize polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics and in wood preservatives and antifouling paints to kill pests. The molecules consist of a tin unit with either one (mono), two (di), three (tri) or four (tetra) attached hydrocarbon groups.
Our Impact
According to the Real Diaper Association, over 27 billion disposable diapers are used and dumped into landfills annually. With an estimate of 250-500 years for each diaper to decompose, disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills.
Disposable diapers consume over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum and 20 pounds of chlorine annually for per child and use 2.3 times more water than cloth.
Disposable diapers consume over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum and 20 pounds of chlorine annually for per child and use 2.3 times more water than cloth.
Cost of Disposables
Brand
Seventh Generation Earth’s Best Huggies Pampers Kirkland (Costco) Luvs Up & Up (Target Parent’s Choice (Walmart) |
Cost Per Diaper*
$0.34 $0.30 $0.29 $0.24 $0.23 $0.18 $0.17 $0.15 |
Total Per Child**
$2040 $1800 $1740 $1440 $1380 $1080 $1020 $900 |
Cost of Cloth
Brand
GoodMama Fuzzibunz Gdiapers BumGenius Flip Kissaluv Kawaii SunBaby |
Cost Per Diaper*
$38.00 $19.97 $17.99 $17.95 $16.95 $14.95 $7.75 $4.50 |
Total Per Child**
$1140.00 $599.10 $539.70 $538.50 $508.50 $448.50 $232.50 $135.00 |
*Prices may vary between retailers and diapers can be cheaper when bought used. Disposable diaper prices are averages sizes new born to size 5 brand. (Updated March 2012)
**A child uses an average of 8 diapers a day from birth to potty training (two years). 8x365x2=5,840. For thee tables above, we rounded up to 6,000 diapers. The average cloth diaper lasts around 200 washes, that’s around 30 diapers. Also keep in mind that many diapers last for more than one child.
**A child uses an average of 8 diapers a day from birth to potty training (two years). 8x365x2=5,840. For thee tables above, we rounded up to 6,000 diapers. The average cloth diaper lasts around 200 washes, that’s around 30 diapers. Also keep in mind that many diapers last for more than one child.
- Allsopp, Michelle. Achieving Zero Dioxin: An emergency strategy for dioxin elimination. September 1994. Greenpeace. http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/reports/azd/azd.html
- New Tests Confirm TBT Poison in Procter & Gamble's Pampers: Greenpeace Demands World-Wide Ban of Organotins in All Products. 15 May 2000. http://archive.greenpeace.org/pressreleases/toxics/2000may152.html
- Cloth Versus Disposable Diapers http://www.appropedia.org/Cloth_versus_disposable_diapers