It is a commonly held belief amongst green parents that cloth diapers, or nappies as they are called across the pond, are better for the environment than disposable ones. We’ve written about the benefits of cloth diapers multiple times, and I have even shared my eco-guilt over using Seventh Generation disposables. A new UK government report finds exactly the opposite: disposable diapers are better for the environment.
This finding is shocking! Government ministers couldn’t believe it either and actually buried the report, because they were embarrassed by the findings. According to the Times Online:
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has instructed civil servants not to publicise the conclusions of the £50,000 nappy research project and to adopt a “defensive” stance towards its conclusions.
The report found that using washable nappies, hailed by councils throughout Britain as a key way of saving the planet, have a higher carbon footprint than their disposable equivalents unless parents adopt an extreme approach to laundering them.
To reduce the impact of cloth nappies on climate change parents would have to hang wet nappies out to dry all year round, keep them for years for use on younger children, and make sure the water in their washing machines does not exceed 60C.
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For my family, cloth diapers were the best choice. I did use the same diapers and covers on two children for a total of six years of diapering. I only wash in cold water, and I live off-the-grid using renewable hydro power. Our only downfall is that I did place them in the dryer, which runs on propane, to further sanitize them and to make them softer for my children’s little bums.
I think what can be learned from this report is that no matter what choice we make when it comes to diapering our children, we need to consider what we do after we make that choice. The kind of disposable diaper chosen or the method of laundering a cloth diaper has a significant impact on the environment.
The report found that while disposable nappies used over 2½ years would have a global warming impact of 550kg of CO2 reusable nappies produced 570kg of CO2 on average. But if parents used tumble dryers and washed the reusable nappies at 90C, the impact could spiral to . 993kg of CO2 A Defra spokesman said the government was shelving plans for future research on nappies.
I don’t think the report considered the impact on landfills of disposable diapers, and I think that further research needs to be done. I can’t embrace these findings, as there are many factors that were not considered. What about diaper services that reuse the same cloth diapers many times for many families? I don’t know any families that just dispose of their cloth diapers when their children have completed their toilet learning. If they are still in good shape, they are passed on to other families. If they are stained and falling apart, they are used as rags. I still think using cloth diapers was the best choice for my children’s health and the environment despite this report.
Image: Ecoscraps
Thanks for the thought-provoking story. It does show two things, in my opinion: 1) having children does add to the load on the planet, no matter what we do, and 2) some studies are of limited value. I make the second statement because the study seems to have ignored the many, many steps needed to make the plastics in the disposable diapers, as well as landfill space, methane output, and ultimately the clean up of all disposable plastics.
I agree that they must have overlooked the landfill issues. The carbon is only a part of the issue overall, but so many people pay attention to just that fragment.
I’ve read that report – it was buried for a reason. Not only was it bad science but it made a lot of assumptions that are simply not true. Like you mentioned, cloth diapers get reused for up to five children. The water used to wash cloth diapers is about the same as the amount used by the same number of kids to flush a toilet – so a child in toilet training uses the same amount of water as a child in diapers. It also ignores much of the steps required to produce and transport disposables. I actually wrote a blog about it, but yes, you are right to question and ultimately dismiss this study. It wasn’t out of embarrassment for the results – but for the way they were obtained and, therefore, their inaccuracy.
I have to say that disregarding the landfill aspect seems to miss much of the point. Plus, that means disregarding the biodegradability questions.
Carbon footprint is only one aspect, not the whole story, of sound environmental choices.
What an interesting topic here, as I think they failed to research the manufacturing of disposables and the impact on the landfills. Great topic!
True… But perhaps it is acceptable to say that the difference in impact is negligible enough that there are far better ways to spend your efforts on a greener future.
@ Amber, thank you for commenting! I just read your excellent post. Great writing and explanation. I seriously doubt that the original study looked at landfill usage, leaking landfills, production of plastics, retrieval of petroleum to manufacture plastics… In short, there’s no story here.
I don’t think I believe this report at all. I’m sure the footprint required to make the disposable diapers wasn’t included, as well as certain other factors.
Somewhat unrelated, what about the environmental/health effects of the fecal matter in landfills? I’m pretty sure the majority of people using disposables don’t flush what needs flushing (and is recommended to be flushed on the outer packaging of disposables). Yucky. I still like the GDiaper concept. I wish a couple brands would latch on to that idea and make them cheaper!
Wow! I’m surprised by the report but not by the burying of the report. Thanks for this. Again, wow!
Of course they fail to talk about all the nasty chemicals in those diapers… some of the same chemicals that have been removed from feminine hygiene products for safety concerns. That’s just not something I want on my baby’s bum!
I say, opt for ORGANIC cotton nappies (one size so you don’t have to buy several sets) with woolies for covers. Skip the water soak (poses drowning risk anyway), wash on warm not hot, add hydrogen peroxide to the wash for extra whitening power, rinse with vinegar to help soften, hang dry or tumble for the minimum time needed. Diapers should only add a load a week.
I’m not buying it that the use of cloth is actually worse for the environment. Maybe if we buy the fancy diapering options (in non organic cotton) which require a whole new set every couple of months, if we wash on the hottest cycle possible (with an extra rinse), use chemical laden detergents and chlorine bleach and tumble dry for an excessive length of time.
And as Elizabeth pointed out… those diapers lurking in our landfills are full of bacteria and viruses from bundled up baby poo. That is UNTREATED sewage that is leaking back into the water supply. I’d much rather flush it into a sewer system.
We’ll stick with cloth… and the occasional gDiaper for long trips!
We heartily (and I mean heartily!) disagree with the findings of this study! After pouring through each bit of research, we found that it contains several flaws which make it rather inconclusive. If we really thought disposable products were the same as washable, wouldn’t we all be eating on disposable plates, using disposable clothing, and skipping cloth rags for paper towels? There’s something undeniably obvious about the fact that cloth is fundamentally more eco-friendly.
Did they include emissions from transporting disposable nappies?
Wow, I’m speechless. This just makes it more confusing as to which product to use for your baby. Hope they do continue with the research and offer information on the manufacturing and landfill issues.
I’m perplexed that we’re told the report was buried – actually it was headline news in Britain for a day! I remember feeling so angry, and incredulous. Later I heard Leo Hickman (Guardian Environment correspondent) saying initial findings indicated that cloth nappies would be found to be better for the environment, but then there were delays in the publication before the surprising conclusions. As you say, the report was bad science. Moreover I don’t see what is so extreme about washing at 60 or always hanging washing out – there simply wasn’t room for a tumble dryer in the house where my first son was born so nappies hung on dryers over the bath, easily shifted into a bedroom when the bath was required. Since moving to a larger home I’ve found the space allocated for a tumble dryer is a convenient niche for the recycling.
What does need to be considered is the much more serious impact on the environment of cotton nappies (25% of all pesticides are used on cotton and the use of child labour plus draining of the Aral sea for Uzbekistan’s cotton industry is terrible scandal) compared with bamboo or hemp, which I really didn’t know about when I bought mine.
I’ve just checked out the Times Online – and find myself confused since we had a headline on this a couple of years ago. How much money is our government spending on these studies?
Last time it was headline news for a day and I remember feeling so angry, and incredulous.
I don’t see what is so extreme about washing at 60 or always hanging washing out – there simply wasn’t room for a tumble dryer in the house where my first son was born so nappies hung on dryers over the bath, easily shifted into a bedroom when the bath was required. Since moving to a larger home I’ve found the space allocated for a tumble dryer is a convenient niche for the recycling.
What does need to be considered is the much more serious impact on the environment of cotton nappies (25% of all pesticides are used on cotton and the use of child labour plus draining of the Aral sea for Uzbekistan’s cotton industry is terrible scandal) compared with bamboo or hemp, which I really didn’t know about when I bought mine.
Thats a very interesting report but I’m afraid when it comes to the environment I can only be supporting the iuse of cloth diapers. Ok the report suggests that there are more CO2 emmissions due to the washing and drying but if they could only see that these emmissions can be offset with more trees planted and forests saved throughout the world then there is the solution to that problem.
On the other hand, the plastic backing from disposables into landfill should be causing more concern.
Keep up with the cloth diaper promotions and eco washing with soap nuts, use the natural sunshine’s ultra violet light to dry and kill any residual bacteria,and consider ironing them to soften them instead of all the energy from a tumble dryer. Does the addition of soda into the water help to soften them perhaps?
A few points to consider before poo-pooing this research.
1) Plastic is a petroleum by-product. No one is drilling for oil to make disposable diapers.
2) Where’s the evidence that bacteria/viruses from diapers are leaking into the water supply and posing a health threat?
3) What’s the basis of the criticism that this research is “bad science?” If someone has solid evidence of the flaws in the research, I’d like to see it. Just because an outcome doesn’t corroborate the hypothesis doesn’t mean the outcome is invalid. It likely means the hypothesis was flawed.
4) It’s not unlikely that in the future landfills will be mined for petroleum by-products that can be converted into energy. Disposable diapers (among other things) might well be an additional source of potential energy in the future.
5) The most valuable resource humanity has is the human mind. As we are all destined to die, maximizing the time we have is important. Disposable diapers save valuable time that could be devoted to more productive activities than washing, drying, folding, and storing cloth diapers.
These types of discussions are important. We cannot allow good intentions to take the place of critical analysis.
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Do you know if there is a copywrite on the baby photo?
“5) The most valuable resource humanity has is the human mind. As we are all destined to die, maximizing the time we have is important. Disposable diapers save valuable time that could be devoted to more productive activities than washing, drying, folding, and storing cloth diapers.”
I absolutely do NOT want to waste my time. I consider it a waste of time to drive to the store, buy disposable diapers and stack them in the diaper stacker. Only to later ball them up, put them in a plastic bag, put them in the trash and drive to the dump. Disposable diapers do not necessarily save time, even if disposable diaper companies tell you they do.
What that report also doesnt mention is the chemicals used in disposables for absorbtion are the same chemicals that were banned from using in tampons due to toxic shock syndrome. Do you really want to be putting those chemicals on your little ones bumj?
Not surprising, the entire “green” movement is based on nothing but rhetoric and slogans. Plastics are strangely a god send, for many reasons, though in this case it’s just a wash. (punny huh?) The real way to conserve is being attacked by the “greenies” … many want to stop people from using computers because they are “bad for the environment” yet then when we go back to paper they’ll rant that it’s “bad for the environment.” Greenies are just people who want to “feel better” by forcing change no matter how bad that change is.