The Cloth Diaper - Better Than Disposable?

Honestly when we had Willow we didn't even consider cloth diapers. My first thought on it was "WAY TOO MUCH WORK!!". And, frankly, I thought that washing poop diapers would be disgusting.

I know there are misconceptions about cloth diapers and they are pretty easy to use when you get the hang of it. So, I thought I'd talk about it here and see what kind of comments I get (if any). I found a link to an article in the Boston Globe on Goody Blog. It fit perfectly with the post I wanted to write!! It's called The Great Diaper Debate and discusses the pros and cons about cloth diapers. There are parents who swear by cloth diapers (citing the environmental impact of disposables) and then there are those who wouldn't dream of using them (probably due to the inconvenience).

But, are cloth diapers the "greener" way to go? Do they have a significantly less impact on the environment? You're about to find out!

We all know what a disposable diaper is, right? But, in case you don't know, we'll ask what is a cloth diaper? A cloth diaper is a REUSEABLE diaper that you wash either yourself or through a service and use again. They are generally made of cotton, which is why some parents like them since they are soft. According to Wikipedia, Cloth diapers are reusable and can be made from natural fibers, man-made materials, or a combination of both. They are often made from industrial cotton which may be bleached white or left the fiber’s natural color. Other natural fiber cloth materials include wool, bamboo, and unbleached hemp. Man-made materials such as an internal absorbent layer of microfiber toweling or an external waterproof layer of polyurethane laminate (PUL) may be used. Polyester fleece and faux suedecloth are often used inside cloth diapers as a "stay-dry" wicking liner because of the non-absorbent properties of those synthetic fibers.

Traditionally, cloth diapers consisted of a folded square or rectangle of cloth, fastened with safety pins. Modern cloth diapers come in a host of shapes, including preformed cloth diapers, all-in-one diapers with waterproof exteriors, and pocket or "stuffable" diapers, which consist of a water-resistant outer shell sewn with an opening for insertion of absorbent material inserts. Closure methods include snap closures and hook and loop fasteners (such as Velcro).

Let me say, quickly, that the best burp cloths we have are the Gerber cloth diapers we got at Babies R Us. They are the softest and most absorbent and I always recommend them for new moms. They seem a bit rough when you take them out of the package but as soon as you wash them they are perfect!! And they have a ton of colors these days. But, I digress...

On to the debate. It seems like a no-brainer that cloth diapers would be the "greener" alternative for the environmentally conscious parent, right? Not so fast...

According to the article I sited above, While disposables produce more trash - up to 70 times more than cloth, according to a report from the University of Minnesota - reusable diapers consume significant amounts of energy being washed and dried repeatedly. Diaper services use additional energy in the form of fuel as they shuttle diapers to and from homes. The most recent independent research, released in 2005 by Britain's Environment Agency, (article here) found no difference between the overall environmental impact of disposable diapers, home-laundered cloth, and commercially laundered cloth diapers. Other studies conducted over the past 20 years have drawn conflicting conclusions, depending on which phase of a diaper's life cycle - the production, use, or disposal - the study focused on. And supposedly greener disposable diapers - brands like Seventh Generation and Tender Care, which tout themselves as alternatives to giants Huggies and Pampers - complicate things further.

What's the difference? Well, look at how disposable diapers are made. According to the Boston Globe article, "rip open a disposable diaper and you'll see the downy paper-pulp filling inside. To make the pulp, trees are grown on plantations, requiring nutrients,pesticides, water, and mechanical energy. The next step, converting wood into pulp, leaves behind toxic byproducts called chlorinated hydrocarbons, which can contaminate lakes and streams near factories. (Chlorine-free brands, like Seventh Generation and Tender Care, avoid this specific kind of pollution.) Also added to the diapers are plastics in the form of adhesives, film, and synthetic rubber strands for fit and leak-proofing - man-made materials that are mostly petroleum-derived and not renewable. Most companies also use chemical pigments to dye the inner and outer cover materials white. (Seventh Generation dyes its diapers tan to help distinguish the brand.) Without these pigments, the diapers would be colorless, about the shade of a plastic milk jug."

By far the most visible environmental impact of disposables is all the garbage they create, between 0.5 and 1.8 percent of volume of landfill waste nationwide, according to a Michigan State University study. (Think 1.8 percent more garbage trucks on the road, and 1.8 percent more fuel consumed and pollution generated by those trucks.) Claims by some makers that their diapers are made from biodegradable materials can be confusing. Much household trash ends up in landfills, where, by the nature of their design, very little biodegrades.

But reusable diapers do not necessarily equal good, either. Like the farming of trees, growing cotton requires nutrients, pesticides, water, and mechanical energy, and cotton farming may increase soil erosion. It also matters where the cotton is grown. Some of Grybko's diapers, for example, are made in China and shipped to the United States, adding to their carbon footprint. Compare that with Bum Genius organic cloth diapers, made from cotton grown in the United States with no pesticides or fertilizers, and making generalizations about environmental impact becomes difficult. Calculating the effect of their laundering is equally complex.

According to another study released in 2003 from the University of Michigan, the health benefits of disposables can't be ignored. "For protection from infection in the home, day care, or other environments, disposable diapers result in reduced opportunities for exposure as compared to reusable diapers. Disposable diapers that incorporate absorbent gelling materials offer better protection from dermatitis (diaper rash) than do other brands of disposable diapers or home-laundered reusable diapers. Studies indicate that the presence of soiled diapers in the solid waste stream does not cause a public health problem."

One other thing to consider, is that because of health concerns, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association in July 1991 adopted a diaper standard for child-care settings that requires caregivers to change both diaper and covering when cloth products are used.

Additionally there is an economic benefit to disposables; "Disposable diapers are generally less costly on a life cycle basis than their reusable counterparts. Reusable diapers can provide an economic advantage when the cost of labor for home laundering is not considered."

Finally, the environmental impact of disposables compared to reuseables basically depends on what type of environmental impact you're concerned with. "Disposable diaper manufacture and use consumes more raw materials than cloth diapers and results in the generation of more post-consumer solid waste. Reusable diaper manufacture and use generates more process solid waste (e.g., wastewater treatment sludge and incinerator ash) than disposable diapers. Reusable diaper manufacture and use consumes more non-renewable energy resources (e.g., oil, gas, and coal) and more renewable energy resources (e.g., wood and hydroelectric). Reusable diaper manufacture and use consumes more water and releases higher levels of total water pollutants. Reusable diaper manufacture and use results in emissions of higher levels of total air pollution."

If the reason you are considering reuseable diapers is the impact on the environment, it all seems to boil down to what type of environmental impact you are concerned with. Do you care more about post-consumer (landfill) waste? Then maybe reuseables are the answer for you. Do you care about renewable energy and process (manufacturing) waste? Then disposables are the choice for you.

Like I said, I use disposables and I am happy with that decision. However I have friends who use and love reuseable diapers just as much. It's a personal choice. Either way, as long as both you and your baby are happy, that's all that matters!!

More information:
Cloth Diaper Manufacturers
Didees
Comfy Bummy
Green Mountain Diapers
Tender Care
Seventh Generation
Bum Genius

Diaper Services
National Association of Diaper Services
Changing Habits
Dy-Dee
Eco-Baby