Keeping Chlorine Off Baby’s Behind
New parents take heart: a little poop might not be the worst thing you find in diapers these days, as far as the environment is concerned.
Diapers made from non-toxic and natural ingredients are both eco- and bottom-friendly. - Seventh Generation
It’s estimated that over 27 million diapers are consumed each year in the U.S., and over 90 percent end up landfills. Once these diapers reach the landfill, some sources estimate that it takes between 250 and 500 years for them to decompose.
What’s breaking down in these diapers? It isn’t just human waste and plastic, since many diapers are manufactured using chlorine.
The irony here is that one of the primary functions of chlorine is to make products like paper and diapers look white, even though white is probably the last color you’d associate with a used diaper. This same chlorine can create toxic pollution in landfills, while also providing irritation to a baby’s skin.
Chlorine-free diapers are available, manufactured by companies such as Seventh Generation. Additionally, eco-friendly products for your baby are available, including wipes and training pants once they approach potty-training age. With the amount of baby products you’ll probably throw away during your child’s lifetime, it’s worth the environmental investment.
- (01/01/2008). "Diaper Facts" Real Diaper Association http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php.
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
bopeep
posted on January 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Although I believe that some of the benefits of chlorine include more than whitening, and that microbial concerns can exceed any real or perceived chlorine irritation (about 1/10% of the human body is already composed of chlorine), the author hits the nail on the head in the last sentence. We often fail to realize the cumulative effect of many small attacks on the environment.
bp