Reasons to Swith to Cloth: Reason #3- Health Concerns

Reason #3: Health Concerns

My mom used disposable diapers on me, I used disposable diapers on my daughter for the first 18 months of her life and we all lived. So what's so unhealthy about a disposable diaper?

Well, 3 things are unhealthy. To be specific: Dioxin, Tributyl-tin (TBT), and sodium polyacrylate. To some these names may sound familiar- I did not know what any of these items were nor how they could possibly harm my baby. Let me explain.

Let's start with Dioxin. Dioxin is a byproduct of the bleaching process. Ever wonder how those disposables get so white? Bleach. Disposable diapers which have been bleached inevitably contain traces of dioxin. I am not aware of any specific studies of how much dioxin remains in a disposable diaper. It is clear, however, how dangerous it is. The EPA has characterized Dioxins "as likely human carcinogens and are anticipated to increase the risk of cancer at background levels of exposure." Pretty scary if you ask me.

How about Tributyl-tin (TBT)? I am not sure how TBT got in disposable diapers, however in a study Greenpeace did in 2000 the biocide tributyltin was detected in eight brands of disposable diapers. It is known that TBT can be absorbed through the skin and lead to immune system damage and disrupted hormone function, however the problem is not being addressed. Diaper manufacturers are not routinely testing there products for this substance.

Sodium polyacrylate is a super-absorbent polymer. It comes in the form of crystals. These crystals can absorb up to eight hundred times their weight in water (though the chemistry of urine reduces this considerably), turning into gel when wet. I remember many days when I went to change a dirty diaper and my daughter would have these gelly crystals all over her bum. "Yuck!" I'd exclaim and then wipe them off and move on with my day. What I didn't know was these same super absorbent polymers were once used in tampons until it was linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). The argument for not taking them out of diapers was that they do not go into the baby's body. But if you've ever experienced a faulty diaper getting the gel all over your baby I'm sure you'd be equally concerned.

In addition to the "big three" researchers are now linking disposable diaper use to male infertility. I'm not going to get into the details of this one, but you can read for yourself: http://nickisdiapers.com/pages/HealthConcerns.php

Realizing the dangers of disposable diapers is a step in the right direction. I'm sure the owners of big brands like Pampers and Huggies want us to think that they care about our children- but I'd like to see them doing more testing to prove it.