You may think that this is just an excuse for posting a picture of my niece and nephew. Well, yes and no.🤪 I’m the kind of auntie who loves spending time with them, playing messy games that involve paint (that’s when my sister gets a bit mad) dancing, singing...
So it’s like babysitting adventures. They’re my whole world.
My sister is not particularly keen on reusable diapers so I cringe when I see all those single-use diapers carefully put in the wardrobe, lining up to be worn.
Fortunately, my niece doesn’t need diapers anymore but still... it’s a lot of waste. My nephew still needs them!
Disposable diapers take hundreds of years to break down, which means that the diapers that you wore as a baby are likely still intact, sitting in a landfill.
My sister belonged to the generation that wore reusable diapers because disposable ones were not so mainstream, so parents struggled a bit because they had to wash and sanitize them thoroughly. So the idea of single-use ones became so appealing because they just threw them and took pristine one from the drawer and voila! That was it!
However disposable diapers pose a health risk since they have harmful substances such as tributyltin, dioxins, sodium polyacrylate, phthalates, plastics/polymers, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), petroleum/petrolatum, adhesives, synthetic dyes, and perfumes.
These substances are extremely harmful and toxic. We don’t want those to be in contact with babies’ skin, right?
In fact, here they are, explained:
Tributyltin (TBT) – A biocide used to prevent the growth of bacteria. It’s poisonous to marine life as well as humans. It damages fertility, unborn children, and our organs. TBT can be fatal if inhaled and doesn’t degrade. TBT remains in our ecosystem and is entering our food chain.
Dioxins – A group of persistent organic pollutants. The bleaching process used on diaper material creates dioxins as a by-product. They’re carcinogenic and linked long-term health problems. Dioxins are highly toxic, according to the EPA.
Adhesives, synthetic dyes, and perfumes – They are manufactured with and contain the chemicals on this list. Adhesives are used to hold the entire diaper together. Synthetic dyes create the cute pictures found on diapers, as well as the colored straps and the convenient strip telling you whether the baby needs to be changed. Diapers use perfumes to hide odors.
Sodium polyacrylate – Used as the absorbent stuffing. Menstrual pads containing this compound have been implicated in cases of toxic shock syndrome.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) like toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, and dipentene – They’re used to produce dyes, polymers, and adhesives. But the problem with these chemicals is that they are quickly released into the air when exposed to heat.
Plastics/polymers – Mainly polypropylene and polyethylene, but also includes polyester, polyurethane, and polyolefin. They’re the primary materials used in product packaging, household products, and the production of plastic grocery bags, respectively. Most of a diaper is composed of these non-recyclable plastics.
Phthalates – While they’re used to soften plastics, the diaper’s adhesives, dyes, and perfumes also contain these chemicals. People of any age can have adverse reactions to phthalates, but unborn babies and young children are potentially more susceptible.
Petroleum/petrolatum – Used to keep diapers from leaking.
Source: The Unsustainable Magazine
Therefore, I believe that reusable diapers should be here to stay but I take it, they’re less practical because you have to clean them. But, I came across this @israel21c article about this mini diaper-cleaning machine that could make cloth diapers a more practical (and less smelly) option for parents who want to help the planet.
The best of both worlds, huh?
What do you think?