Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers: An Expert Weighs The Pros & Cons

This is a topic where, while various sources will highlight numbers regarding environmental impact and other variables, there's not much actual research to point to. Perhaps that's why both the AAP and the EPA have remained neutral in the debate regarding cloth and disposable diapers.

There's no denying that disposable diapers affect the environment negatively. The production of the plastic and the gels that make up the diapers produces waste that must be disposed of. Then think of the packaging and marketing process—the dyes, the boxes, the delivery—and all the environmental costs that come with that. Also, the diapers are made from polypropylene, a type of plastic that is made from the nonrenewable resource petroleum and will not biodegrade under landfill conditions. Finally, the fecal contents of the diapers can end up in our groundwater.

All that said, though, cloth diapers aren't the slam-dunk you'd assume, environmentally speaking. They are preferable when it comes to environmental impact, but the difference between the two options isn't as significant as you'd expect. Consider that cloth diapers are typically made from cotton, the growing of which relies on water and an inordinately heavy use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Then there are production costs as well as the necessity of washing them in hot water and drying them (both processes requiring energy) by the consumer. Yes, there are commercial delivery services, but the trucks create air pollution and consume resources.

What's more, additional green options are appearing each day. There are now hybrid diapers, with a cloth shell you reuse and a biodegradable liner that's safe for the sewage system and can therefore be flushed. Also, disposable diaper companies are offering chlorine-free diapers with lower levels of certain chemicals and allergens, and cloth diapers are available that have been produced with organically grown, pesticide-free cotton. All of these choices, of course, raise the expense of the diapers, meaning that for many families these alternatives aren't a viable option.

I'm a waste-conscious person, and while I considered both options, disposable diapers were less expensive and more convenient for us. The truth is that by the time I got to my third baby, I just did what was easiest, and for us that was disposable.

My thinking was, "I deal with three little boys and a dog every day, and I'm touching and handling more mammalian waste than any person should have to." Seriously. I was dealing with a shockingly huge amount of bodily fluids on a moment-by-moment basis. Plus, I was so busy and showering so little that I felt like my own personal water conservation could help me justify any environmental cost of using disposable diapers.

I hesitate to officially record this next story for posterity, but here goes. When I was pregnant with my first, I was given the acclaimed Diaper Genie, created to store soiled diapers next to the changing table until you would empty the contraption and take it to the trash. I used it a few times but then decided to return it to the store.

So as our first outing after my son was born, three weeks into our sleep deprivation and exhaustion, Scott and I made our big trip to the local Walmart. He returned the box at customer service while I held our son, glad to be out for a short time. Our newborn got hungry, so we headed home.

As I turned on the TV and sat down to nurse, an important question popped into my head. I called to my husband in the next room: "Babe, you emptied the Genie before you put it back in the box, right?"

Silence. Laughter. Mortification. More laughter.