Show "Vinr 6E Standard-Examin- m - Sunday Aug 5 1990 er Horizons may not By MARK SAAL Stanaard-Eonestaff What next? “Lite" disposable less calod diapers with ries than regular disposables? Last year when public opinion began turning against the environmentally suspect disposable diaper entrepreneurs were quick with the answer: Biodegradable one-thir- diapers But critics are now saying disposable diapers biodegradable or not may not biodegrade at all mother Or as one diaper-usin- g puts it: "They 're just using (‘biodegradable’) like all those other advertising claims that every- thing " is ‘lite and B The classic American disposable was engineered by a man named Vic Mills in 1958 Procter & Gamble introduced the first disposable paper diaper in 1961 According to the Clorox Company a baby will contribute 7000 disposable diapers which will take 500 years or more to decompose B According to the American Paper Institute a ban on disposable diapers would at best add a mere seven weeks landfili to the life of a 1 ar - B Disposables make up about 2 percent (by weight) of the municipal solid waste stream making them the third-large- st single manufactured product in the waste stream behind newspapers (68 percent) and disposable beverage containers (55 percent) B diapers and new technology have reduced some disposable diapers' volume by about 50 percent since 1986 B disposables contain acrylic absorbers polymer crystals of that can absorb up to 80 times their weight in moisture B Manufacturing disposable diapers consumes 510000 tons of wood pulp a year according to US News and World Report fl Depending on whom you talk to between 70 and 90 per cent of all diaper changes are Super-absorbe- nt Ultra-absorbe- nt with disposables B The National Association of Diaper Services reports that members' business is up about 40 percent in the last year y ’ - The most troublesome thing about disposable diapers is that the outer shell is made of plastic And plastic as any good environmentalist can tell you doesn't break down easily It just sticks around year after year taking up landfill space trat might better be used for items like junk mail and breaks up the plastic and before you know it: no more diapers in old newspapers Enter the biodegradable diaper The secret ingredient is found in the plastic shell which is made Bacteria may with cornstarch not relish the taste of petrochemical-- landfill plastics but what microbe could resist the crunchy taste of com? So ideally what happens is the bacteria eat the cornstarch which based Diapers “female-orga- tigue graphic Mothers From IE using plastic pants in hot weather and having to double cloth diapers at night Een taking such precautions Krause said Kelse routinely soaked the bedding But according to Krause disposables don't leak aren't as bulky as doubled-u- p cloth diapers and — most important — are more comfortable for Kelsey think "My basic theory is ‘Would I want to wear that? Would I want to sleep in this concoction?’ I just think cloth diapers weren't very comfortable (for Kelsey)” : Krause offers several other rea 1 ronmental Protection Agency's Municipal Solid Waste Program Still several states considering restrictions on are non- - Not cut and dried While the disposable diaper certainly raises some environmental questions the issue of diapers isn’t that simple According to Wynn one isn't necessarily more environmentally safe than the other: it isn’t merely a choice of “cloth-goo- d cloth-vs-pap- er ” disposables-bad- She said the EPA has a hierarchy for dealing with solid waste and at the top is source reduction — cutting back on the amount of waste generated Secondary to that is recycling and landfilling or incinerating "We look at source reduction as the first line of defense" Wynn said “And from that perspective we generally support the use of cloth diapers But it isn’t all cut and dried There are many trade-off- some environmental s some personal" For example Wynn said while cloth-diap- er this “Neither cloth nor disposables pany "Disposables do consume more resources than cloth but reusable diapers create more processed waste — 10 times more water and more air pollution than disposables" In order to determine the environmental impacts of cloth and disposables EPA's Wynn said each product must be analyzed from design through disposal evaluating all the ecological questions involved While the EPA is working on just such an analysis Wynn said it’s still several years down the road In the meantime however there's no lack of opinion in the clothdisposable debate Both sides claim diaper superiority and each side offers its own statistics Cloth diaper proponents their product is cheaper more effective more convenient sons for choosing disposables over cloth Kelsey's never had a diaper rash There are no pins to worry about They're lightweight Krause also says she wouldn’t think of asking her day care provider to use cloth And of course Krause concludes disposables are extremely convenient ny disadvantages? "Really just the environment" she said Krause says she'll go on using disposables and go on feeling guilty about it “I just can't do (reuseable diapers) With my situation I just don't have the time" Krause said “I had every intention of using cloth the subject I read every book on but when reality “pro-oxidatio- n" pro-oxidati- on tirstimeCsrgui Use a diaper pail to prevent odors and soak diapers at the same time till the diaper pail with 18 cup liquid chlorine bleach and 2 gallons of water detergent residue which can irritate baby's skin Use washing machine's bleach dispenser Or fill machine with water and add detergent and bleach before peroxide which creates its own oxygen for the degradation process The process then converts the plastic to paraffin which becomes rancid and degrades “Starting at about 18 months (the diaper) will degrade within itself” Chickering said A chemist at the University of Utah however said paraffin is not a fatty acid and would not biodegrade like one “Bunnies" have been marketed for about a year and during that time 120 million diapers have been sold according to Chickering Per box the diapers are cur2 rently higher in price than other disposables on the market $!-$- For a girl: For a boy: Take sides of diaper and Take sides of diaper and loading When baby soils a diaper rinse it out in the toilet and then soak it in the diaper pail The bleach solution helps kill odors from bacteria present in baby diapers (Note: Among bleach choices only chlorine bleach disinfects Color safe bleaches do not) “slow-healin- say r landfill'' said Lynda Wynn senior staff member in the Envi- problems” n toxic shock syndrome severe skin irritations oozing blood fever vomiting staph infection g wounds" that and suggest “a compromise of the immune system" "It does get a little outrageous" said Lynda Wynn senior staff member in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Municipal Solid Waste Program of this g disposable-bashin“I saw an ad once that said the disposable diaper is one of the worst environmental dangers we are facing That's ridiculous" have environmental advantages" said spokesman Elaine Plummer comfrom the Cincinnati-base- d Standard-Examine- finding that paper nt super-absorbe- B And finally what's the ' bottom line what does it all cost? Again it depends upon your perspective Diaper services say cloth diapers are per week (for 70 diapers) according to the operator of a local service “They're food — things one would expect to break down easily — don’t degrade over 30 40 50 years in a It then attempts to link the synthetic materials in disposables to weight loss fa- disposables create more solid waste cloth diapers have their own environmental impact — including requiring more energy and water for washing and drying the reuseable diapers interests While claim their product is more environmentally safe Procter & Gamble one of the major makers of disposable diapers disputes home-launder- in The pen practice biodegradation process requires air and water two items conspicuously lacking in the modern From IE B Which keeps baby drier? Who knows? The National Association of Diaper Services says studies show babies who wear cotton diaper service diapers get diaper rash five times less often than those who wear disposables On the other hand a study by Arthur D Little (funded by Procter & Gamble) found that disposables offer better protection against rash than reuseables cheaper disposables manufacturers say paper and plastic are A study conducted for Procter & Gamble estimates the average weekly cost of 'disposables to be somewhere be tween $1 0 and $1 1 per Week Cloth diapers can be purchased for between $1 0 and $17 per dozen and expenses like laundry soap bleach and energy to wash and dry must be considered Factoring these costs in cloth diapers may cost somewhere between $308 and $747 a week according to various sources The cost of a diaper service averages about $875 the landfill We say “ideally'' because scientists are finding this doesn't hap- agrees the cornstarch approach is flawed “Plastics with cornstarch don't biodegrade that's true" he said “When you put cornstarch in plastic the microorganisms attack the corn starch as a food source" but they don't touch the plastic So what you end up with is something Chickering calls “Swiss plastic" But while Chickering's diaper (called “Bunnies" and sold locally in retail stores) incorporates cornstarch in the plastic he said it also uses a chemical conversion technique called According to Chickering involves a series o( trace minerals that generate a biodegradable disposables Nebraska legislators have passed t law requiring the use of biodegradable diapers by 1993 But advises the EPA’s Wynn: “1 would caution against using biodegradable diapers especially i you're paying more for their (than regular disposables)" While she has no data to support the idea Wynn said biodegradable plastics may even be harmful to the environment since they apparently merely break down into smaller pieces of plastic But one manufacturer claims his biodegradable diaper is different Bob Chickering of American Enviro Products in Los Angeles B You'll need to have on hand 4 to 6 dozen diapers A baby will use about a dozen a day B In addition to diaper pins and plastic pants new wraparound covers with Velcro closures and covers made of natural fibers are available B Wash diapers in hot water with your regular detergent and 1 cup of liquid chlorine bleach (per standard load) to kill bacteria and yeasts that may contribute to diaper rash Yeasts are known to g severe produce episodes of diaper rash Bleach also helps eliminate laundry' long-lastin- The regular rinse cycle will effectively remove all chlorine residue from diapers A second rinsing Is not required fold into thirds lengthwise Dry diapers in automatic dryer for softest results Fold diapers and store Fold one end over B Several medical studies show babies diapered in cloth have lower incidence of diaper rash and skin irritation The key: change diapers often and wash properly with detergent and liquid chlorine bleach to ensure fresh bacteria-fre- e diapers that are soft gentle and breathable on baby's skin J (about 23) and fold other end over Source: Clorox Company Standard-Examine- more comfortable better for baby's bottom and easier on the the environment Disposable manufacturers say their product is cheaper more effective more convenient more comfortable better for baby's bottom and — at the very least — no harder on the environment than cloth Those in the reuseable cloth diaper industry say disposables carry potentially harmful bacteria and viruses to the landfill — including live polio viruses in the soiled diapers of recently vaccinated infants — germs that can leach into the ground water However Wynn said it has never been substantiated that any danger exists “The EPA did studies in the '70s" Wynn said " and the results show' that the chance of bacteria or viruses surviving in leachate is very slim Leachate is a very harsh environment for anything living" Business booms Despite the campaign on behalf of cloth diapers disposables continue to enjoy enormous popularity Depending upon whose figures you believe disposables account for between 70 percent and 90 percent of all diaper changes with the remainder split between cloth diaper services and home laundering But diaper services report business is booming thanks to the recent emphasis on the environment Michele Eastwood spokesman for the National Association of Diaper Services said about 25 new diaper service businesses ashave joined the sociation in the past four to six months Even with this growth Eastwood said they can’t keep up with the average 40 percent increase in members' business during the past year of ImSteve Wilcox perial Diaper Service of Salt Lake City — currently the only diaper service listed in the area serving from Provo to North Ogden — said business has seen a 20 percent to 25 percent increase in re er er strikes it doesn't matter what (Benjamin) Spock says it doesn't matter what (T Berry) Brazelton says (Cloth) looks great on paper but when you start trying to " apply it Cloth diapers With three children in diapers including twin boys you can bet Lorraine Brown places a high premium on convenience So when she calmly declares she uses cloth diapers you can bet she believes they're just as convenient as disposables But actually convenience isn't the motivating force behind Brown's use of cloth diapers The decision was an environmental one cent months “We’re doing pretty good but our business hasn't increased (like it has nationally)" Wilcox think it’s because a lot said " of people in Utah do more washI ing at home" Cloth diapers are becoming more popular in nurseries as well Although it has been estimated that 95 percent of all hospitals use disposables there is a trend among some nurseries to convert to cloth From the day FHP’s new Ogden Birth Center opened in early June the center has used a diaper service "We had two concerns" said Mindy Baird birth center coordinator “One mainly we need to be a leaching example in all we do with new parents and there's r graphic terns as leopard skin zebra skin and neon splotch print They’re fairly expensive however costing between $10 and $14 per diaper compared to the $10 to $17 per dozen for conventional reusea- it was the ecology said Brown whose problem" husband is an Ogden pediatrician "Especially with twins when you know you’d be dumping out so many disposables a week" The Browns use a diaper ser-- v ice and they 're sold on the idea "Washing diapers is a pain" admitted Brown "But a diaper serv ice isn't that much different from disposables” In fact Brown says the service might be a bit more convenient since she changes diapers upstairs and a disposable might mean a trip downstairs to take it outside With cloth she just drops it in a diaper pail Brown believes people should be concerned about the environ Pin corners A to D bles Also available for use with conventional reuseable diapers are Velcro-equippe- diaper d wraps waterproof outer liners some parents claim are more convenient and comfortable for the child than plastic pants And for those parents who fear safety pins clips are now an option Despite all these reuseable choices statistics show the vast majority of parents still use disposable diapers Although most workers say they area child-car- e w'ould accept children in reuseaa real ecological concern w'ith disble cloth diapers they rarely if And two the conveposables ever see anything but the plastic nience and cost It’s actually and paper kind cheaper for us to use a diaper ser- Darlene Evertsen owner of ice” View Preschool and Day College Baird admitted cloth was a litCare in Ogden said she's seen tle difficult for nurses at center to two children in cloth diapers get used to the last six years over “These are hospital nurses and used to "And in both cases neither they’re everything being said “One Baird had disposable” anything to do with the enveven said it was barbaric that we ironment" Evertsen said “The were going back to the age of usparents said their child was allering cloth diapers" gic to disposables” Since the birth center opened Evertsen said for the environBaird said only one set of parents sake she would like to see ment's told the staff they’d prefer to cloth diapers used but also conhave their newborn in disposceded she worries that in a child ables “But most people equate cloth care setting cloth might not be as with quality" Baird said “They sanitary as disposables “When you take the lid off the think ‘You're really pampering my baby’ ” diaper pail I can’t help but think of all the spores that might be The diaper hybrids jumping out into the room” she The recent interest in reuseable said diapers has also given life to hyAnother owner of a child-car- e brid diapers like Bumkins a sort business Sherrie Moritz said she of “reuseable disposable” tried to introduce reuseable dia“It looks identical to a disposat her Young World Child able diaper but it’s made out of pers Care and Preschool centers in cloth and is washable" said Jakki Woods Cross and Bountiful but Libermann media and marketing to no avail in director for Bumkins Phoenix Moritz says she was going to The diaper which uses Velcro fasteners is available at several absorb the cost of buying the diapers to be used at the day care baby boutiques in Salt Lake City and parents would only have to and comes in such exotic pat "Mostly Place baby on the diaper ment but also acknowledges not everyone has the luxury of being able to use cloth Working mothers for example might find it too inconvenient to take cloth diapers to the baby sitter she said With her oldest child Brown was attending school and used disposables for about a year “People have to do what they have to do" she said “If it's unfeasible to do it any other way you do what you have to” Brown said she believes cloth diapers are more comfortable for children she doesn't have to mess with those diaper wipes and she likes being able to tell when a diaper is ed soiled “The thing that bothers a lot of people about cloth diapers is that corners B to C corners B to C Standard-Examine- r graphic provide a paper diaper coming in and going out (so she didn't lose her reuseables) "but I could not get one staff member the least bit excited about it" “I'm out on the cutting edge environmentally and I can't get anybody else out there with me" Moritz said “So that was the end of that" But Moritz isn't giving up on She says she's just waiting for a turnover in staff the idea "As I hire people the basis of being I'll do it on ecological-minded- " she said Easing guilt The EPA's Wynn reminds par- ents who might be feeling guilty about using disposables that they are not the “be-a” and of reducing solid waste since they comprise only about 2 percent of the waste hauled to landfills “There are a whole range of activities we all can do including recycling letting manufacturers know we won't buy items wrapped in excessive packaging buying more durable products and composting" Wynn said ll end-all- “So I would put it all in a larger perspective Diapers are not the only thing to be concerned about" Wynn suggests parents could supplement disposable use with cloth when it's most convenient “You could use cloth at home and disposables when you're away from home” she said “It doesn't have to be an either-o- r situation" they feel wet" Brown said “But I kind of like that because you can tell when the baby's wet Sometimes with disposables it’s difficult to tell" While he leans toward cloth diapers Brown’s husband Ogden pediatrician Edward Brown said the choice of materials is really secondary “What's most important is that children are changed frequently and that parents increase the frequency of changing if skin disruptions occur” he said When it comes right down to it Lorraine Brown believes it's economics that will cause people to switch back to cloth "The real selling point is that (cloth diapers) are cheaper and money speaks" she said |