If you like the convenience of disposable diapers but you're not sure about the environmental impact, or possible effects on your baby, take a look at eco-disposable diapers. These diapers are as easy to use as regular disposables, but they have some additional features (or lack the additional chemicals) that make them a little better for the environment or your baby.
What Are Eco-Disposable Diapers?
Eco-disposable diapers are very similar to regular disposable diapers, but they are manufactured differently, with either different materials or without certain chemicals or ingredients, in order to reduce environmental impact, or to lessen baby's exposure to chemicals. Some eco-disposable diapers are un-bleached and free of chlorine. Others may not have certain types of plastics or the absorbent gel used in traditional disposables. Some eco-disposable diapers use cotton fibers for absorbency along with the usual wood pulp, while others get their wood pulp from renewable forests for less environmental impact.Are Eco-Disposable Diapers Easy To Use?
Eco-disposable diapers are just as easy to use as traditional disposables. They generally have the same re-usable tabs and gathered legs as regular disposables. Like traditional diapers, eco-disposable diapers can be tossed in the trash wherever you are. This diaper style is fairly easy to find nowadays, especially if you live in a larger town or city.What Do Eco-Disposable Diapers Cost?
Eco-disposable diapers cost about 5 to 10 cents more per diaper than regular disposables. If we assume that a baby will use around 7,000 diapers before potty training, and eco-disposable diapers cost about 35 cents per diaper, you can expect to shell out $2,500 or more by the time your baby is 2.5 years old. You may need to change your baby's diaper more often with some eco-disposable brands, too, which could add to the cost.Do Eco-Disposable Diapers Work?
Eco-disposable diapers do work as well as regular disposable diapers if you use them carefully. As with regular disposables, you need to find a brand that fits your baby, and stick with the proper size. You will also probably need to change baby's diaper more often. Some eco-disposable diapers do not contain absorbent gels, which is what allows you to go a bit long on diaper changes with regular disposables. Leaving baby in a wet diaper for too long is more likely to result in leaks with eco-disposables. On the up-side, changing baby more often means less chance of diaper rash.Eco-Disposable Diaper Pros
The environmental impacts are a big plus for eco-disposable diapers. Whether it's reducing the amount of chemicals (bleach and dioxins are the biggies) in the environment, taking care to use renewable resources or not using plastics in manufacturing, all brands have their unique benefits. Babies may benefit from less exposure to chemicals, and certainly may see fewer diaper rashes or irritation from more natural materials and less likelihood of being left in a soggy diaper for too long.Eco-Disposable Diaper Cons
Eco-disposable diapers don't really address the huge quantities of diapers we're sending to landfills. Some brands may be faster at breaking down in the landfill, but others might not present much of an advantage there versus traditional disposables. These diapers are more expensive and can be harder to find than regular diapers.What Is The Environmental Impact Of Eco-Disposable Diapers?
Manufacturing without bleach lessens a diaper's impact on the environment. Most disposables use wood pulp for absorbency, but some eco-disposable diapers have the advantage of wood pulp coming from renewable forests. Some brands use cotton for absorbency, too, which requires a lot of inputs, but unlike cloth diapers, this cotton isn't being re-used. While eco-disposable diapers break down faster than others, they'll still be sitting in the landfill for a long time. As with regular disposables, it helps to empty dirty diapers into a toilet before tossing them in the trash, to avoid adding human waste to a landfill.Popular Eco-Disposable Diaper Brands
The most commonly available brands of eco-disposable diapers are Seventh Generation and Tushies. Seventh Generation diapers are chlorine-free, as well as fragrance-free and latex-free, and they do use absorbent gels along with the unbleached wood pulp. Tushies diapers do not use an absorbent gel, and instead get their absorbency from a mixture of wood pulp and cotton. Tushies diapers are also chlorine-free.
