RE: [GreenYes] To the Editor: How About Tax-FreeDiaperRecycling?

[Helen Spiegelman <hspie@no.address>]

At 04:16 PM 01/13/2003 +0200, muna@no.address wrote:
> (snip) products that could never
> be sustainable? this seems like a prime example... (snip)
>
> On 3 Jan 2003 at 9:50, Stephen N Weisser wrote:
>
> (snip) unrealistic as thinking the recycling
> > programs for them will become widespread...(snip)
> > ----
> >
> (snip)
> .  Let's face it, you have a crappy
> > product as input (pun intended).  It is hard for me to picture getting
> > anything but crap out of it.
> >

The barrier (no pun intended) to recycling diapers has been the design: the 
plastic outer lining is a contaminant. Other than that, diapers are as 
compostable as toilet paper.

A quarter century ago when my kids were in (cloth) diapers, my best pal was 
a Swede whose kids were also in diapers. Her mom sent her regular care 
packages from Sweden containing diapers that were made entirely of paper, 
along with soft, strong plastic scarves that you could tie around the 
diaper to secure it to the baby. The plastic scarves were washable in the 
clothes washer and quick drying.

Seems to me the swedish diaper industry was already half-way to 
cradle-to-cradle responsibility (no pun intended). They had the 
design-for-composting part - all they needed was a collection and 
processing infrastructure. A great opportunity for firms interested in 
supplying services to hospitals and rest homes, as well as to consumers 
with babies?

H.