The Dirt on Disposables

Would you let your baby spend the day soaking in paint thinner, arsenic or how about lead? 95% of American babies spend their days doing just that, and the majority of parents are not even aware. Where is this danger? Their disposable diaper! Most people know that disposables are bad for the environment, more than 100 times more expensive and help the rise of oil prices. However few know just how dangerous these everyday items can be for the most precious thing in their lives. There are more than 50 dangerous chemicals in the common disposable. Here is some of the most dangerous and what they could mean for baby.

Dioxin- a by product of the bleaching process; Causes skin cancer, suppresses the immune system, and causes genetic damage.

Sodium Polyacrylate- The white powder in the center of diaper that turns to gel when wet. It can absorb 100 times its weight. Reactions can include but are not limited to allergy, oozing blood and or puss from the diaper area, fever vomiting and staph infections that can be deadly. This chemical was removed from tampons after being linked to TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROM. Has killed children who accidently ingested and/ inhaled miniscule amounts.

Phthalates- The plastic that is bleached with softeners has recently been banned from teething, feeding and other baby products because of its ability to mimic human hormones . This phenomenon can cause sterility in boys as well as early puberty and ovarian cancer in little girls.

Tributyl Tin (TBT) Like the Plastic this heavy metal can create a hormone like effect when exposed to the tiniest amounts. The biggest danger of this chemical is sterility in boys. This and other heavy metals are in the dyes and odor absorbers.

Cumen- A highly flammable crude oil. A dangerous carcinogenic know to cause lung and liver tumors.

Toluene- A solvent used in glue, paint thinner and paint. Low levels of exposure can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, memory loss, hearing loss, and color blindness.

Ethylbenzene- Is also flammable and carcinogenic. Know to cause tumors in kidney, testacies, lung and liver.

Styrene- Can cause damage to the nervous system, pancreatic cancer and is highly flammable and toxic.

Dipentene also know as limonene is less dangerous than most of the other chemicals and is derived naturally from citrus fruit peels. Mainly irritates the skin and lungs. May be linked to the development of asthma.

M-methoxybenzaldehyde- also related to Vanillin an artificial vanilla extract used as a scent. Allergic reactions and migraine headaches are common with exposure to this chemical.

1.3.5 trimethylbenzene- highly toxic by ingesting and inhaling, depresses central nervous system, causes breathing disorders (such as asthma and emphysema. Other effects include headache, tension, nose bleeds, seizures and DEATH. This chemical is classified as a Narcotic by OSHA and the FDA.

Trichloroethylene- irritates eyes, skin, lungs and causes headaches dizziness, cardio arrhythmia, liver injury and male sterilization.

1.2.3 trimethylcyclopentane is know to cause dry mouth headaches dizziness and nausea.

The VOCs (off gassing) emitted from disposable diapers can cause cancer, brain damage and even death. A lot of parents will say something like I wore disposables and I am fine, but the truth is a lot of these injuries are not fully evident until well in to adulthood and will never be linked to the chemicals found in your diapers when you were a baby. Disposable diapers are a relatively new invention and new scientific research comes along every year with evidence that say they are undeniably dangerous.