It is only since the 1820s that concern for the disposal of a
baby's waste came about. Diapers were first introduced as a square piece
of linen or cotton flannel. The first mass made cloth diapers were
introduced by Maria Allen in 1887 in the United States. Once the World
War began, and a surge of women entered the work force, the demand for
diaper service originated. The first diaper with an absorbent pad was
made out of unbleached creped cellulose tissue in 1942 by Paulistróm in
Sweden. Later, in 1946, Marion Donovan from the United States invented a
waterproof cloth diaper. Then, a year later, in 1947, George M.
Schroder created the first disposable diaper with disposable nonwoven
fabric. In the same year, Valerie Hunter Gordon, a British mother,
developed a two piece disposable diaper. Once the 1950s rolled in,
Paulistrom came back into the market with a new idea, called a "roll
diaper". This kind of diaper was made from rolls of cellulose, engrained
in a knitted mesh that could be cut to custom fit the baby.
In the 1950s, the disposable sort of diaper was being used in a few developed countries. In 1957, Molnlycke entered the market with a product made of "paper pulp encapsulated in tissue and surrounded by a knitted net. By the end of the 50s, Vic Mills, invented "Pampers", and his diaper was launched in 1961. By the 70s, disposable diapers were almost all made of cellulose fibers. Disposable diaper (DD) sales during that time were booming in developed countries and in some developing countries. Market penetration had an exponential increase in the US, Europe and Japan. By that time, the capacity of absorbance of the diaper increased as well. By 1982, the super-absorbent (SAP) technology was created in Unicharm, Japan. Diapers became thinner and absorption technology had once again improved. Once the 90s came along, new features of the disposable diaper design submerged. SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) top-sheets were used and the cloth-like backsheet, which replaced the regular poly film were created and tapes were transforming into Velcro. Further, the superabsorbent feature was enhanced by introducing a new surface cross linker, which enabled the reduction of the "gel block" problem, a phenomenon which prevented liquids from moving when the absorbent was saturated with water.
In the US, Western Europe and Japan, baby diapers have a market penetration of 95%. Latin America on the other hand has a market penetration varying between 15% and 75%. Moreover, Mexico had a market penetration of 48% in 1995 and the figure has risen to 61% in 2006. Based on the high demand, the large DD companies had machines that could distribute up to 1000 diapers per minute. The volume of diapers sold in the United States alone in year 2006 will be close to 18.6 billion units, around 20.4 billion units will be sold in Europe and 4.9 billion units will be sold in Mexico in 2006. When looking at the anomalous number of sales made on disposable diapers, it is crucial that their material components be improved because the 18.6 billion units are likely to end up accumulating in our landfills.
The environmental issues of disposable diapers have been a concern for many decades. However, the concern has increased today due to issues of limited space in garbage landfills and due to the effects the toxins in diapers is causing and will cause to further deteriorate our ozone layer and environment in general. Sodium polyacrylate, the superabsorbent polymers contained in disposable diapers, continues to be used. Studies have proven that Americans throw 16 to 18 billion single-use diapers annually. Due to a lack of clear solutions in disposing diapers, they now lay in our landfills. Disposable diapers, account for approximately 2% of municipal solid waste and between 3.5% and 4.5% of household solid waste. The problem with disposing of diapers in landfills is that disposable diapers are filled with enteric viruses, including the polio virus. There are also concerns of the contamination of groundwater, stemming from the landfills. The truth of the matter is, disposable diapers contain traces of dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paperbleaching process. This chemical can cause cancer and dioxin has been shown to causes birth defects, suppression of the immune system, skin and liver diseases. Furthermore, the super absorbent polymer (SAP), spoken of earlier, can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions, causing vomiting, staph infections, and fever.
Disposable diapers are not only hurtful to the environment when thrown away. When manufactured, they also impact the environment negatively. The main component of diapers is cellulose pulp (35% in baby diapers), mainly obtained from coniferous woods. Environmental impacts of this include deforestation or a decrease in soil quality and loss of biodiversity. Moreover, the manufacturing of pulp involves the extensive use of chlorine and alkalis which often ends up in an effluent and results in the synthesis of other potentially harmful substances like dioxins and furans. Finally, SAP is once again very harmful as it causes CO2, CH4, SO2 and NO2, when disposable diapers are being manufactured.
Although the manufacturing of these products are harmful, some of these companies have begun to "think green". One of the manufactures who promotes a green type of marketing campaign of disposable diapers is Huggies. The campaign they are promoting and conducting right now is called the Huggies Brand Bridge. Due to millions of diapers and plastic packaging being thrown in the garbage, and end up in our landfills, Huggies has partnered with TerraCycle to help reduce the waste of disposable diapers and its packaging on the environment. Parents are encouraged to collect waste such as plastic diaper packaging and wipes outer plastic packaging, to be sent to TerraCycle. Thereafter, TerraCycle will convert plastic used in diapers packaging into products like toys, yogurt containers and candy wrappers, to name a few examples. TerraCycle's Huggies Brand Brigade is already working with daycares, schools and community groups to promote the collection and recycling of Huggies Diapers packaging. The best part of this program is the incentive that TerraCycle provides to participants. Each Huggies Brand wrapper received, will be given two TerraCycle points which can then be used to buy charitable gifts or to give $0.02 to the non-profit organization or school of choice.
Although cloth diapers are recommended and highly suggested as a way to be greener, the reality is that they are expensive and most households with children, especially families with more than two babies, cannot afford cloth diapers. Furthermore, with the new trend of both parents working in the public sphere, parents do not have time to clean clothes as regularly as in previous generations. This deems disposable diapers as a product that is needed and extremely important to the western lifestyle. The positive aspect of the industry of disposable diaper manufacturers, is that they are experiencing competition in defining which company could provide the most efficient and greenest disposable diaper in the market. As a result, this product is not running the same trend in reference to being obsolete, but the attraction in purchasing this product is functioning more with environmental concern and biodegradability features as precursors in the advertisement of these products. Disposable diaper manufacturers like Huggies are making efforts in reducing packaging by making disposable diapers thinner and by using light weight materials which can be packed in a more compact manner. The reuse of disposable diapers are happening, such as the occurrence in the partnership of TerraCycle and Huggies. However, I found that other companies such as Pampers, Luvs and Pull-Ups do not advertise any programs of this nature on their websites or in their commercials.
When looking at the Toronto blue-box website, I did not see any mention of disposable diapers being recyclable. The truth of the matter is, disposable diapers are not made in a way to be recyclable. The material used for various parts of the diaper is plastic. The polymers that keep disposables dry on the outside and absorbent on the inside are petroleum products. Inside the diaper, there is a mixture of cellulose pulp and absorbent polymers. It seems as though the only people taking care of making disposable diapers become a recyclable material are private companies such as Knowaste Technologies, Inc. This company has successfully recycled almost a ton (dry weight) of disposable diapers in one shift a week at Mississauga,Ontario. Canada is still one of the countries that is concerned about disposable diaper recycling. P&G Canada has invested $750,000 in cash and contributions to support Knowaste's diaper recycling efforts. Knowaste's secret is treating the super-absorbent polymers (also known as absorbent gelling material), in a large machine, washing disposable diapers in a bath. Then, the liquid is removed and changes it back into a grit, which is then removed with conventional equipment, causing a high quality stream of long fiber fluff. Knowaste is now patenting its system design, and has signed 20 Toronto area hospitals to provide disposable diapers for its prototype operation. Later, Knowaste plans to provide these services to day-care centers and nurseries.
With regards to a diaper company creating an environmentally friendly type of product, Absormex, a Mexican owned company, created the first bio-degradable diaper, called Natural Baby Supreme. This type of diaper decomposes without light or UV. The decomposition of this product occurs by way of a chemical degradation process. As a result, this disposable diaper becomes bioactive. The speed of this bio-degradation in the landfill is 200% faster than that of conventional diapers. In the less than a month in the environment, the product dissolves.
In conclusion it is identifiable that the technology used to dispose of diapers is on its way to a promising result. Private companies that specialize in the decomposing of disposable diapers are putting their best foot forward in saving our environment and our planet from further deterioration. Also, as stated earlier, disposable diaper companies are coming out with biodegradable products and has increased competitive edge within the industry. However, after conducting research on recyclability of disposable diapers in Canada, the government has not really shown an initiative in implementing a system that will decompose the diapers in a safe way, like the private companies have done. This should be the next priority of the city of Toronto and the Canadian government. Examples should be taken from private companies like Knowaste Technologies Inc., to resolve the toxicity that disposable diapers cause in our landfills.
In the 1950s, the disposable sort of diaper was being used in a few developed countries. In 1957, Molnlycke entered the market with a product made of "paper pulp encapsulated in tissue and surrounded by a knitted net. By the end of the 50s, Vic Mills, invented "Pampers", and his diaper was launched in 1961. By the 70s, disposable diapers were almost all made of cellulose fibers. Disposable diaper (DD) sales during that time were booming in developed countries and in some developing countries. Market penetration had an exponential increase in the US, Europe and Japan. By that time, the capacity of absorbance of the diaper increased as well. By 1982, the super-absorbent (SAP) technology was created in Unicharm, Japan. Diapers became thinner and absorption technology had once again improved. Once the 90s came along, new features of the disposable diaper design submerged. SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) top-sheets were used and the cloth-like backsheet, which replaced the regular poly film were created and tapes were transforming into Velcro. Further, the superabsorbent feature was enhanced by introducing a new surface cross linker, which enabled the reduction of the "gel block" problem, a phenomenon which prevented liquids from moving when the absorbent was saturated with water.
In the US, Western Europe and Japan, baby diapers have a market penetration of 95%. Latin America on the other hand has a market penetration varying between 15% and 75%. Moreover, Mexico had a market penetration of 48% in 1995 and the figure has risen to 61% in 2006. Based on the high demand, the large DD companies had machines that could distribute up to 1000 diapers per minute. The volume of diapers sold in the United States alone in year 2006 will be close to 18.6 billion units, around 20.4 billion units will be sold in Europe and 4.9 billion units will be sold in Mexico in 2006. When looking at the anomalous number of sales made on disposable diapers, it is crucial that their material components be improved because the 18.6 billion units are likely to end up accumulating in our landfills.
The environmental issues of disposable diapers have been a concern for many decades. However, the concern has increased today due to issues of limited space in garbage landfills and due to the effects the toxins in diapers is causing and will cause to further deteriorate our ozone layer and environment in general. Sodium polyacrylate, the superabsorbent polymers contained in disposable diapers, continues to be used. Studies have proven that Americans throw 16 to 18 billion single-use diapers annually. Due to a lack of clear solutions in disposing diapers, they now lay in our landfills. Disposable diapers, account for approximately 2% of municipal solid waste and between 3.5% and 4.5% of household solid waste. The problem with disposing of diapers in landfills is that disposable diapers are filled with enteric viruses, including the polio virus. There are also concerns of the contamination of groundwater, stemming from the landfills. The truth of the matter is, disposable diapers contain traces of dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paperbleaching process. This chemical can cause cancer and dioxin has been shown to causes birth defects, suppression of the immune system, skin and liver diseases. Furthermore, the super absorbent polymer (SAP), spoken of earlier, can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions, causing vomiting, staph infections, and fever.
Disposable diapers are not only hurtful to the environment when thrown away. When manufactured, they also impact the environment negatively. The main component of diapers is cellulose pulp (35% in baby diapers), mainly obtained from coniferous woods. Environmental impacts of this include deforestation or a decrease in soil quality and loss of biodiversity. Moreover, the manufacturing of pulp involves the extensive use of chlorine and alkalis which often ends up in an effluent and results in the synthesis of other potentially harmful substances like dioxins and furans. Finally, SAP is once again very harmful as it causes CO2, CH4, SO2 and NO2, when disposable diapers are being manufactured.
Although the manufacturing of these products are harmful, some of these companies have begun to "think green". One of the manufactures who promotes a green type of marketing campaign of disposable diapers is Huggies. The campaign they are promoting and conducting right now is called the Huggies Brand Bridge. Due to millions of diapers and plastic packaging being thrown in the garbage, and end up in our landfills, Huggies has partnered with TerraCycle to help reduce the waste of disposable diapers and its packaging on the environment. Parents are encouraged to collect waste such as plastic diaper packaging and wipes outer plastic packaging, to be sent to TerraCycle. Thereafter, TerraCycle will convert plastic used in diapers packaging into products like toys, yogurt containers and candy wrappers, to name a few examples. TerraCycle's Huggies Brand Brigade is already working with daycares, schools and community groups to promote the collection and recycling of Huggies Diapers packaging. The best part of this program is the incentive that TerraCycle provides to participants. Each Huggies Brand wrapper received, will be given two TerraCycle points which can then be used to buy charitable gifts or to give $0.02 to the non-profit organization or school of choice.
Although cloth diapers are recommended and highly suggested as a way to be greener, the reality is that they are expensive and most households with children, especially families with more than two babies, cannot afford cloth diapers. Furthermore, with the new trend of both parents working in the public sphere, parents do not have time to clean clothes as regularly as in previous generations. This deems disposable diapers as a product that is needed and extremely important to the western lifestyle. The positive aspect of the industry of disposable diaper manufacturers, is that they are experiencing competition in defining which company could provide the most efficient and greenest disposable diaper in the market. As a result, this product is not running the same trend in reference to being obsolete, but the attraction in purchasing this product is functioning more with environmental concern and biodegradability features as precursors in the advertisement of these products. Disposable diaper manufacturers like Huggies are making efforts in reducing packaging by making disposable diapers thinner and by using light weight materials which can be packed in a more compact manner. The reuse of disposable diapers are happening, such as the occurrence in the partnership of TerraCycle and Huggies. However, I found that other companies such as Pampers, Luvs and Pull-Ups do not advertise any programs of this nature on their websites or in their commercials.
When looking at the Toronto blue-box website, I did not see any mention of disposable diapers being recyclable. The truth of the matter is, disposable diapers are not made in a way to be recyclable. The material used for various parts of the diaper is plastic. The polymers that keep disposables dry on the outside and absorbent on the inside are petroleum products. Inside the diaper, there is a mixture of cellulose pulp and absorbent polymers. It seems as though the only people taking care of making disposable diapers become a recyclable material are private companies such as Knowaste Technologies, Inc. This company has successfully recycled almost a ton (dry weight) of disposable diapers in one shift a week at Mississauga,Ontario. Canada is still one of the countries that is concerned about disposable diaper recycling. P&G Canada has invested $750,000 in cash and contributions to support Knowaste's diaper recycling efforts. Knowaste's secret is treating the super-absorbent polymers (also known as absorbent gelling material), in a large machine, washing disposable diapers in a bath. Then, the liquid is removed and changes it back into a grit, which is then removed with conventional equipment, causing a high quality stream of long fiber fluff. Knowaste is now patenting its system design, and has signed 20 Toronto area hospitals to provide disposable diapers for its prototype operation. Later, Knowaste plans to provide these services to day-care centers and nurseries.
With regards to a diaper company creating an environmentally friendly type of product, Absormex, a Mexican owned company, created the first bio-degradable diaper, called Natural Baby Supreme. This type of diaper decomposes without light or UV. The decomposition of this product occurs by way of a chemical degradation process. As a result, this disposable diaper becomes bioactive. The speed of this bio-degradation in the landfill is 200% faster than that of conventional diapers. In the less than a month in the environment, the product dissolves.
In conclusion it is identifiable that the technology used to dispose of diapers is on its way to a promising result. Private companies that specialize in the decomposing of disposable diapers are putting their best foot forward in saving our environment and our planet from further deterioration. Also, as stated earlier, disposable diaper companies are coming out with biodegradable products and has increased competitive edge within the industry. However, after conducting research on recyclability of disposable diapers in Canada, the government has not really shown an initiative in implementing a system that will decompose the diapers in a safe way, like the private companies have done. This should be the next priority of the city of Toronto and the Canadian government. Examples should be taken from private companies like Knowaste Technologies Inc., to resolve the toxicity that disposable diapers cause in our landfills.
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