Diapers: Cloth VS Disposable. Is There Really An Environmental Reason To Switch?

A Word On Diaper Statistics

Statistics show the number of disposable diapers that end up in landfills in the U.S. alone are more than 21 billion each year. This number can only increase now that parents are waiting longer complete potty training and rid children of diapers. The staggering amount of disposable diapers in landfills presents large numbers of nearly insurmountable challenges. The time it takes for the plastics in disposable diapers can take 6 lifetimes or more. The Chlorinated byproducts of this decompsition can find its way into the soil and public water supplies. Average babies in America will use approximately 6,000-10,000 diapers from birth to underwear years. An average cloth diapered baby will need no more than 2-3 dozen cloth diapers. This dramatic decrease in volume alone proves that cloth diapers are better for our environment. The fact that Americans spend billions each year on disposable diapers, despite the environmental risks, is why so many special interest groups and corporations are against cloth reuseable diapers.

With So Much Laundry, Are Cloth Diapers Really Better For The Environment?

Some argue that the amount of laundry that has to be done with cloth diapers and the toxins that come from this will fill the sewers with so much added waste as to make no improved environmental impact over disposable diapers. This smear campaign is so full of misinformation and so void of fact as to be ridiculous. The truth is that only slightly less water will be used overall due to increases in laundry frequency. Also, the detergents a vast majority of us use to clean cloth diapers is much easier on the environment because it is free of additives, colors and fragrances.

Final Word, Free From Doubt. Cloth Diapers Are Better For The Environment!

In conclusion, there is no doubt that cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly. Which type of diaper you choose is of course, ultimately up to the parents. Just do your best to weed out the lies and deceipt. Cloth diapers are not any more "gross" than disposable. Cloth diapers will not make you do the laundry 4 times a day. And yes, disposable diapers are devastating the environment.