The Nature Nappy
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island 
on 07.13.05
We have to agree with inventor Charishma Seneviratne that disposable diapers are an environmental disaster. Just in Australia alone, 2.2 million disposable diapers are used, most ending up in the landfill. They contain toxins and plastics that will take an extremely long time to break down. That’s why Charishma started researching and continued on to develop the only 100% biodegradable, disposable “nappy.” Clinical studies have proven that this diaper will take just six months to fully biodegrade. Like all other diapers, this one consists of two layers: the absorbent layer and the outer, waterproof layer. The outer layer is made from natural fibers while the absorbent layer is made of a protein gel, wood pulp and other natural ingredients. The Nature Nappy only uses 10% wood pulp as opposed to 60% used in conventional disposables. We think that Charishma has come up with an excellent concept. One question we have is where can we purchase them? It doesn’t seem as if we can online and the website also doesn’t give the name of stores that carry them either. Anyone? Thanks for the tip, “SB!” ::The Nature Nappy
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HI IAM LOOKING FOR GREEN ARTICLES FOR MY RESEARCH PAPER THIS SHOULD BE GREAT INFO.
THANKS ANNIE
Disposable diapers are actually not bad.
There have been numerous studies on this, and in the end they've shown that the environmental impact of cloth vs disposable diapers is a wash. (no pun intended)
The water and energy used for washing cloth diapers is not insignificant in the least!
The 'Responsible Choices for Consumers' by the Society of Concerned Scientists which was referenced on this very page addresses this topic at length.
I am curious as to if their biodegradable timeline is for aerobic or anaerobic environments. Many biodegradable timelines are significantly altered if the item is buried under a ton of trash in a landfil versus out in the open.
I found an recent article at daddytypes.com related to biodegradable diapers. You can get them at amazon.com by searching for "seventh generation diapers".
I was curious about "Responsible Choices for Consumers' by the Society of Concerned Scientists" that Nic mentioned, and I found that the book is actually _The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice from the Union of Concerned Scientists_ (ISBN: 060980281X). www.ucsusa.org
Nic,
The point you make is valid, but misses something very important.
If these are better than regular disposable diapers, and disposable diapers are no worse that regular diapers, then (tada :) ) these new biodegradable diapers must be better than BOTH.
That having been said, do those energy calculations re: regular disposables take into cost the energy for manufacturing and shipping all of those disposables (which I am sure is fairly high). I looked for the link that you mentioned and didn't find it, so I can't make as an informed a comment as I'd like on this
J Moo, on the clinical results page, it says that the tests were conducted aerobically. To my mind (and yours as well based on what you said) this doesn't really simulate the realworld of landfill, unless people are going to separate there diapers
Cheers
Jo
Does the cloth vs. disposables debate also factor in human waste? I bet 9 out of 10 parents wrap up the waste in the disposable diaper and it all goes to the landfill. Reusable parents are more likely to drop the poop into the toilet. (To that end, disposable parents also buy metal stink-thwarting contraptions to store their diapers.) I use a step-can for my reusables, but I'll still find a use for that trash can long after I'm done with diapers.
I recently emailed the Nature Nappy and their product will be available in Australia in mid-October. Hopefully they will make it to the U.S. eventually.
Aloha Karma Can you get these diapers where you live
These are great for when you go out,on the town!
100% biodegratable sorry about the spelling ;)
they break down in 6 MONTHS! can you belive that!
your
Mum
Hello All,
Jason from gDiapers here. We too are from Australa and offer a diaper that is compostable and flushable. It has been in Australia since 1991. We are available in the US on the west coast in Whole Foods and online. Our testing covered both aerobic and anaerobic testing and the results are available to see on the site. The soil burial and flushability trials are a treat to see! Something out of CSI where the gDiaper melts away after 50 days and 10 years later the disosable that sits to its right is still kicking on. We are just uploading that image on the site. They are worm farm safe and compost in one cycle - a range of between 50 - 150 days. Yes that is a wide range but then so is the range of climates around the world.
Aj is dead right. No Life Cycle Analysis to date has factored in the impact of poo in landfill In fact every LCA to date stops at the point of disposal. There is no algorithm that can factor in what 20 billion diapers each year sitting in landfill for 500 years does to the environment. Given that according to the EPA, 70% of landfills leak into our water table, I really don't want to think about it.
Since getting involved the diaper biz though, I am very aware that it is a very personal decision and the debate can get quite heated. Given the sleep deprivation parents are under and the myriad decisions we have to make every day for our little ones, I say use whatever works for you and don't lay a guilt trip on anyone for what they choose.
Cheers
Jason
i just want to ask wat r the procedures in making biodegradable diapers,...is it just the same as the disposable one...,?can i have the procedures of making one,for our ivestigatory project..thx