Every year, in the USA ALONE, about 20 billion disposable diapers are dumped in landfills, creating more than 3.5 million tons of waste. No one knows how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but it is thought to take between 250 and 500 years!
Disposable diapers are supposed to decompose when exposed to oxygen and sunlight, but they do not degrade well in a landfill. The millions of tons of untreated waste (fecal matter and chemicals) added to landfills each year through plastic diapers can contaminate ground water. Viruses excreted in a baby’s feces could end up leaking into local water supplies as well. According to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, landfills are known for producing greenhouse gas emissions, which can contribute to the earth’s climate changes. Pampers and Huggies are two of the largest sellers of disposable diapers in the US, and they have the technology, so ALL of their disposable diapers need to be biodegradable and Eco-friendly, not just certain products that are sold to a niche-market.
Disposable diapers contain an extremely toxic and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) by-product of the paper-bleaching process, Dioxin. The EPA lists it as the most toxic carcinogenic chemical, and it is banned in most countries, but not in the USA. They also contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic chemical known to cause hormonal disruptions in humans and animals. Why would we want to put these chemicals on our babies' skin?
Please sign to let Procter &Gamble and Kimberly Clark know that we demand that ALL of their disposable diapers (all brands and products) be biodegradable and free of toxic chemicals NOW!
