Huggies Nappies and the Environment

The New Zealand Environment

There is no doubt that both cloth and disposable nappies have an impact on the environment, in fact this is true of most things bought from the supermarket. The important question is rather “what is the extent of each product’s impacts and what are manufacturers doing to reduce these?”

Here at Kimberly-Clark (makers of Huggies nappies) we have given a lot of effort to researching and improving what we make to provide parents with the best possible products while we continually try to minimise the environmental impacts.

Biodegradable nappies can’t degrade much in landfill

Landfill sites are engineered to be stable and low in moisture. As a result, landfills are so dry and compact they “mummify” their contents meaning nothing much breaks down in landfill at all– even newspapers, which are 100% degradable, remain intact and legible for decades. A biodegradable nappy in landfill therefore will not even have the chance to biodegrade.

As virtually all nappies can’t be flushed down the toilet and will go in your normal rubbish bin ending up in landfill there is no difference between disposable and biodegradable in their impact on landfill or the environment.

How many disposable nappies go to landfill?

At Huggies, we understand you may still be concerned about the volume of your disposable nappies going to landfill (see the next section for more in depth information on this volume). Over the last 10 years we have reduced the bulk and volume of Huggies nappies by 50% by improving their absorbency. This has minimised the space Huggies nappies take up in landfill. We have also further reduced landfill volumes by limiting the amount of waste sent to landfill as a result of the manufacture of Huggies nappies.

We would also like to dispel a common myth about disposable nappies: it has been inaccurately reported that the number of disposable nappies going to landfill is 575 million. At an estimated use of 6 nappies per day, there would need to be an estimated 260,000 or twice as many children under 2.5 years old in New Zealand for this figure to be correct. The numbers just don’t add up.. Our estimation is that the number is closer to 296 million.

Find out more about degradable nappies or find answers to environmental questions about Kimberly-Clark’s products on the KCA website.

Nappies together with Sanitary products make up around 3% of NZ Landfill

The 2007-2008 data provided by the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment puts the percentage of landfill waste by weight attributable to “nappies and sanitary” waste at 3%. Plastics and paper each take up more than double that proportion. Interestingly, food and green waste (‘organic’) accounts for around 28% of our total waste composition. To read this report, visit the Ministry for the Environment’s website

Environmental Impact Chart

Disposable and reusable nappies each have similar environmental impacts

There have been many studies comparing disposable nappies with reusable ones. Consumer Magazine in an independent consumer study of nappy performance concluded;

“Both cloth and disposable nappies have environmental costs. Disposable nappies create waste in landfills. Washing cloth nappies uses water and electricity” Consumer 444, page 25 January/February 2005.

In addition a major two year independently reviewed study sponsored by the UK Government Environment Agency – Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)1 released 19 May 2005 – found there was:

“…little or nothing to choose between them.”

This thoroughly documented UK study assessed a wide range of activities associated with manufacture, use and disposal of disposable and reusable nappies which can affect the environment. It showed that

using cloth nappies, the main impact on the environment is through its use of more water, energy and detergents
using disposable nappies, the main impact on the environment in its contribution to landfill.

The results of the Environmental Agency’s study confirmed findings from five other life cycle assessment studies conducted since 1991, all concluding that both reusable and disposable nappies have similar overall impacts on the environment. The main difference being the stage of each product’s life cycle where the impact occurs.

There is no doubt that the environmental impact of disposable nappies is immediately visible (wastes that go to landfill), while reusable nappies’ environmental impacts go relatively unseen (energy, water & chemicals used in washing).

Based on these studies and conclusions, parents are free to choose the nappy type that best fits their lifestyle and can make a guilt free choice based on other factors such as performance, cost and convenience.

Update

An Environment Agency update to 2005 Nappy Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has shown significant environmental improvements for disposable nappies.

A newly released update (2008) to the 2005 UK Environment Agency study which compared environmental impacts of disposable nappies with washable cloth nappies has shown a significant reduction in the global warming potential of disposable nappies by 12% since the first study – this is due primarily due to a reduction of weight of disposable nappies by 13.5% and a reduction in nappy manufacturing energy requirements.

The study shows that ‘the average 2006 disposable nappy would result in a global warming impact of approximately 550kg of carbon dioxide equivalents used over the two and a half years a child is typically in nappies. For reusable cloth nappies the study states ‘the baseline scenario based on average washer and drier use produced a global warming impact of approximately 570kg of carbon dioxide equivalents.’ The study showed that ‘the impacts for reusable nappies are highly dependent on the way they are laundered2.’

The original 2005 study had found ‘little or no difference in terms of environmental impacts between disposable and reusable nappy systems.’ The 2008 update has confirmed this conclusion and demonstrates that the choice between the two nappy types should be left to parent’s personal preference alone.

The reduction in weight means less raw materials, energy and transportation are used in the production of disposable nappies and overall waste is reduced. In total disposable nappies have been reduced in weight by around 40% since the mid 1990s.

You can download a copy of the An updated lifecycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies report. Or visit the Kimberly-Clark website for more information on Kimberly-Clark’s sustainability performance.

Reality Check (Cost of Disposable Nappies vs Cloth/Reusable)

Cloth nappies may not be the low cost option people think they are. To make a fair comparison, the cost of cloth nappies in different sizes and wraps (which can be over $1000 during the period that a child is in nappies), the costs of washing additives (e.g. nappy soaker, washing powder, fabric conditioner), water rates and electricity to heat water, operate a washing machine and maybe a tumble dryer must be added to the equation.

We use renewable fibres in Huggies Nappies

Here at Huggies (Kimberly-Clark) the fibre for our nappies comes from sustainable, renewable pine plantations (Pinus radiata). We use fibre from the floor of these forests and pine plantation waste called “thinnings”. In the past this thinning material was left to rot on the forest floor or burnt.

By making use of a former waste product and ensuring our suppliers replant their plantations you can be assured these forests are managed to ensure full sustainability into the future.

Huggies nappies are hydrogen-peroxide bleached (not chlorine bleached) In the Bush

Hydrogen-peroxide (not chlorine) is used to bleach the fibres that go into Huggies nappies. Bleaching is an important part of nappy manufacture as it improves the absorbency and fibre integrity of the nappy pad. Hydrogen peroxide bleaching process produces oxygen and leaves negligible residue in the environment.

Improvements to reduce the bulkiness of Huggies and reducing waste

Over the last ten years we have reduced the bulkiness of Huggies nappies by more than 50% through improved performance. This reduction has largely been achieved by substituting fibre with additional super-absorbent material and more effective product design.

For even more information visit the Kimberly-Clark website or contact our Consumer Advisory Service by phone on 0800 733 703, or via email.

1. “A life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable nappies in the UK”, 19 May 2005.

2. Average use is assumed to be washed at 60 deg C which is the minimum temperature recommended by the UK’s Department of Health and dried on the washing line ¾ of the time and tumble dried the rest.