A number of studies have been conducted on the environmental impact of different types of diapers. Among them, the largest and most objective study so far was the one conducted by the UK Environment Agency, which looks after matters related to environmental protection in England and Wales.
The study compared various types of diapers for their impact in terms of the following aspects.
1. Global warming
2. Smog formation
3. Depletion of nonrenewable resources
4. Water pollution
5. Acidification
6. Human toxicity
7. Land pollution
The types of diapers chosen for comparison were:
1. Disposable diapers
2. Home laundered cloth diapers
3. Commercially laundered cotton diapers
The reusable diapers equipped with flushable, biodegradable liners were not included in the study.
The study found little difference in the overall environmental impact of the above three samples. The worst affected areas are global warming, acidification and resource depletion. The impact is most pronounced during manufacture. For home laundered diapers, the main lose is in the form of electric energy used in washing and drying. Lose of fuels and electricity is more in the commercially laundered diapers.
The Environment Agency advises reducing use of energy or electricity for washing and drying cloth diapers, and to reduce fuels and transporting emissions. The agency also advises use of disposable diapers, such as Eco-Diapers, which are made of greener or more environment-friendly materials.
Posted on May 17th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: Baby, Skin Care, Toddler
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