True or False?
You don't need to feel guilty about using disposable diapers because
they are biodegradable and compostable.
False! Disposable diapers, even those made from "biodegradable"
plastic, do NOT decompose in landfill sites, because they do not
have the right conditions to break down, especially if they are
packed in plastic garbage bags. They are merely preserved in close
to their original condition. Even food and garden waste sent to
the landfill site takes up to 60 years to decompose. For example,
food degrades only 25-50% over 10-15 years in the landfill.
As for composting/recycling of disposable diapers, this is not
feasible in most communities because of cost.
One of our customers wrote to say that she is putting the "biodegradable"
disposables she uses, into her home compost bin, and adding vegetable
matter. If anyone else has tried this, let us know your results.
It is questionable because:
1 Putting raw sewage (baby poo) into your garden is unsanitary.
2 The plastic sheet may break down into smaller pieces, but these
small pieces remain in the soil forever.
2 One baby will produce at least 5250 dirty diapers during the
diapering period--making a 2.5 Ton mound of "compost"!
3 The temperature in a backyard composter is not high enough to
break down the diaper material.