A recent report out in the UK suggests that traditional nappies (diapers) are no better for the environment than disposable ones.

Ben Bradshaw, the new health minister, made the comment after a four-year study by the Environment Agency concluded that “there is little or nothing to choose between them”. It found that the damage caused by burying disposables in landfill sites was matched by the electricity and greenhouse gases generated by washing and drying cloth nappies.

In response to a parliamentary question, Mr Bradshaw, a former environment minister, told the Commons: “Reusable nappies may reduce demands on landfill but they still impact on the environment in other ways such as water and energy used in washing and drying them.”

Only five per cent of parents are now thought to use cloth nappies, and nearly three billion nappies are thrown away annually, with 90 per cent ending up in landfill. (read full story here)

Whatever your position on that argument, I thought I’d highlight some of the emerging planet-friendlier diaper options available right now, as featured in a recent Kiwi magazine report. They rival their non-green counterparts in performance and also don’t contain the health hazards such as dioxin (which is a highly toxic byproduct of the pulp and paper’s chlorine bleaching process), tributyltin (or TBT, a hormone-disrupting chemical),  fragrances and latex (which can cause allergies in some babies). Did you even know all that crap was buried inside the regular disposable and leaching into your baby’s skin? BPA, TBT… it’s nothing short of criminal.

The following eco-diapers all passed the test on a healthy, active 7 month old. Here’s what the study had to say about each one:

	gDiapers A hybrid diaper with reusable outer cover and disposable inner lining ($17 per diaper, $15 per 32-count package of inner refills) www.gdiapers.com Pros flush, toss or compost soiled linings when tossed, lining biodegrades faster than other disposables when flushed, waste goes through treatment facilities bridges gap between disposables and cloth Cons potential leakage around legs can be tough on weak plumbing systems (plus we really don’t want to use water to dispose of our trash – see last post!) petroleum-derived liner inside the cover debatable safety of sodium polyacrylate gel (studies have shown that sodium polyacrylate, an absorbent gel found in most disposables, is safe and non-toxic, yet the chemical makes some purists uneasy)
	Fuzzi Bunz Reusable pocket system with a microfleece inner layer and a waterproff out layer ($20 per diaper) www.fuzzibunz.com Pros absorbency customisation variable snap closure for fit soft on baby’s skin Cons man-made fibers
	Seventh Generation Natural, unbleached, disposable diaper ($11 per 35 count pack) www.babiesrus.com Pros soft and cloth-like conforming stretchy leg gussets hypoallergenic widely available Cons debatable safety of sodium polyacrylate gel
	Tendercare Plus White, chlorine-free, disposable diaper ($11 per 24 count pack) www.drugstore.com Pros wood pulp from sustainable forests soft GMO-free hypoallergenic top sheet conforming Cons debatable safety of sodium polyacrylate gel
	Bummis Bamboozle Reusable, fitted bamboo diaper ($20 per diaper) www.bummis.com Pros eco-friendly naturally antibacterial bamboo snaps offer adjustable fit sewn-in strip allows tailored absorbency can also be used with Bummis flushable and biodegradable liners for easier clean-up Cons requires separate waterproof cover no leakage with this one, but wetness spreads throughout diaper
	bumGenius 3.0 Reusable, one-size-fits-all pocket system with Velcro closure ($18 per diaper) www.cottonbabies.com Pros no need to size up as baby grows absorbency customisation soft inner layer waterproof outer layer Velcro sppeds up changing time Cons man-made fibers
	Nature Babycare Disposable diaper made of at least 60% biodegradable materials ($12 per 34 count pack) www.diapers.com Pros outer layer derived from GMO-free corn no oil-based plastic touches baby’s skin wood pulp from sustainable forests compostable packaging Cons debatable safety of sodium polyacrylate granules somewhat stiff

So, there you have it. I’m in the midst of potty training my 4th child right now but, even though my need for diapers is finally waning, I’m definitely going to check these out!