Is Landfilling Diapers The Only Way

Have you ever looked at your rolled-up baby diaper burrito as you're tossing it in the trash and wondered, "what's in this diaper and where does it go after I throw it away"? Like us, we know many of you have, and that's why we started DYPER. 

The modern diapering journey
Today, a parent's entire diapering journey is quite literally a mess, pun intended. "The best day in a parent's life is when they no longer have to use diapers," says Sergio Radovcic, DYPER Founder & CEO. 

Every child is different, but the average age for complete potty training is three years old. In the first year, babies typically go through on average, eight diapers per day. Given that, a child will use around 7,240 diapers in their lifetime. For some, diaper usage might taper off after the first year or two, but still, that's a lot of diapering.

On top of that, 95% of parents in the US choose disposable diapers, and without an environmentally kind ingredient list, they're terrible for the environment. That’s a lot of mess that is literally being thrown away, only to sit in a landfill for potentially hundreds of years.

What’s in traditional disposable diapers?
Not only do parents need to make sure they have plenty of diapers on hand, but they also need to decide which brand is best for their baby. However, that can be challenging considering The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) exempts diapers from being required to be labeled. Additionally, the big players in the disposable diaper industry don't exactly advertise their contents. Nor do they necessarily wish to disclose that although the box says "made with cotton" or "made with plants", it might only be 3% of the entire diaper itself. 

That's why at DYPER, we go out of our way to be radically transparent about what's in our diapers. The kind diapering options are starting to become more available across the industry, but many disposable diapers still include ingredients and chemicals that could irritate your baby’s skin or have ingredients that are linked to worse conditions.

These ingredients include, but are not limited to:
• Chemicals and dyes: Dioxins are a byproduct of bleaching the wood pulp used to make diapers more absorbent. If you choose diapers with prints, patterns, or characters on them, dyes and inks are used to produce these.

• Fragrances: Some diapers have fragrances added to reduce the smell as they become used.

• Plastics: Disposable diapers are typically made with a polypropylene inner lining and a polyethylene outer layer. The absorbent layers may also include a superabsorbent polymer such as sodium polyacrylate.


At DYPER, we're passionate about providing all babies kind and responsible diapers that won't cause irritation, diaper rash, or worse conditions. Additionally, the same materials that make disposable diapers a highly absorbent and convenient choice can also mean that they take a long time to break down in a landfill.

The current landfill situation
It's estimated that 28 billion disposable diapers are purchased in the US each year and they are currently the third biggest waste product filling up in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 4.1 million tons of disposable diapers (around the same weight of 4.1 million baby humpback whales) were disposed of in 2018, with the earliest data dating back to 1970. Even though disposable diapers were introduced in the late 1940s, they didn’t really catch on in popularity until the 1970s and 1980s. This is reflected in the EPA data, which shows that only 350,000 tons of disposable diapers entered landfills in 1970 compared to 1.93 million tons in 1980. That’s an alarming amount of diapers steadily compiling and increasing in the landfill by 101% year over year. 

What happens to diapers when they’re thrown away?
Unfortunately, modern diapers are not completely biodegradable on their own. They may slowly partially break down when exposed to sunlight and oxygen, but in landfill conditions, this process can take up to 500 years. And since they’re soiled with bodily fluids, diapers sitting in a landfill can even contaminate groundwater. Of course, every landfill is different. Some add moisture and/or dirt, some pre-sort garbage as it comes in. Nevertheless, as the popularity of disposable diapers continues to grow, the risks of tossing them in landfills are now too vast to ignore.

What about cloth diapers?
Due to parents desiring a more environmentally friendly diaper choice, some parents have turned to cloth diapers in order to help lessen their environmental impact or save on cost. This can be a great solution, but it’s not perfect. Washing them consumes water and power, as well as detergent. Cloth diapers can also be messy and inconvenient, and they aren’t allowed in many childcare facilities. They also mean planning ahead, since you can't just reach for a new diaper if you've run out of time to wash them. Many parents who use cloth diapers say that it’s a commitment you really need to be prepared to undertake. And, some still feel compelled to use disposable diapers for situations such as travel or childcare to heighten convenience. 

How we’ve created a solution
At DYPER, we’ve created a solution to all of these problems. Our thoughtfully constructed diapers are made without inks, dyes, perfumes, and other harmful chemicals such as PVC and latex. They have received the highest safety rating, Standard 100, from the independent OEKO-TEX, a top Swiss organization for safety certification. 

In addition, our REDYPER™ program offers you the chance to participate in diaper composting, with no need to construct a bulky or expensive composting setup. When you subscribe to our REDYPER™ program, we will provide you with compostable bags and boxes, and you just print off your prepaid shipping labels. All you need to do is box up the used diapers, following our simple step-by-step instructions to either mail them back or schedule your pickup. We’ll take care of the rest, composting your baby’s used diapers for use in such projects as providing vegetation for highway medians.

With our elective REDYPER™ pickup service you get the convenience of disposable diapers without the problems that all other brands have with throwing them away. Your baby will benefit from our soft and kind diapers while you gain peace of mind knowing you aren’t filling up the local landfill. 

When you know better, do better

At DYPER, we believe in taking action to solve problems and make the world a better place for future generations. Even an imperfect effort is better than none, and every little bit goes a long way when we all try. We're certainly not perfect, but we're working every day to make our solution for the entire diapering journey as kind as possible while keeping convenience as a top priority for our customers. From sourcing more responsible materials to offsetting the impact of our sourcing to delivery, and resolving the end-of-life problem with disposable diapers, we're committed to providing a better solution for you and your children. 

We've made getting started with DYPER easy. Just subscribe to our diaper delivery service. REDYPER™ is an add-on option if you are in the areas of service. 

Help us divert diapers from landfill by using a kind diaper choice. Protect your baby, your family, your wallet, and the planet. Join us today and let's change the world one diaper at a time!