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Day 27 of the Plastic Free July Challenge
While disposable diapers may seem more convenient than cloth diapers, their environmental impact is terrifying.
Not only do they form a sizeable portion of non-recyclable landfill waste, but they also contain many harmful chemicals that are subsequently dispersed into the environment.
In the United States, there are about four million babies born every year. During their first year of life, the average newborn uses about 2500 diapers.
This means that from babies under one year old, Americans dispose of around a trillion diapers a year.
If we include all children before the potty-training age, the amount just grows. Children in their second year of life need fewer diapers, around four to five a day. That’s an extra 1400-1800 diapers a year, per child.
In 2017, Americans disposed of over four million tons of used diapers, 80% of which just sit in landfills. (Source)
Also, diapers are made of synthetic materials that aren’t biodegradable.
To safeguard the future, we need to consider alternatives. How about reusable cloth diapers?
Even after the baby grows, you can reuse those cloth diapers as rag cloth and give them a new life.
You can find a sustainable cloth diaper on EarthHero!
Will you prefer our Earth over Convenience?
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