Disposable Diaper Dilemma
Report conclusion
The specific health, environmental, and economic
advantages of disposable diaper products appear to
outweigh the more limited advantages of the reusable
diaper products.
Background
Products with short life spans have recently come
under scrutiny because of their solid waste disposal.
Key findings
As a result of analysis, disposable diapers offer
distinguishable health and economic advantages over their
reusable counterparts. In particular, they offer better
protection against diaper dermatitis (diaper rash), while
also decreasing the potential spread of infection in day
care settings. These benefits are achieved at a lower
weekly cost compared to cloth diapers. ln terms of
environmental considerations, neither disposable nor
reusable diapers is clearly superior.
Health impacts
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.
Economic issues
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.
Resource and environmental impacts
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.