Are Total Chlorine Free (TCF) Diapers Really Better Than Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF)? ✨ Ep. 53
Jan 30, 2024
Wendy Kathryn
This may be my most controversial take to date on this podcast. But parents - this one if for you. If you're doing everything in your power to lower your baby's exposure to toxins, I need you to tune in to this episode.
Too much of the information I'm seeing online regarding diapers is nothing short of fear mongering. And frankly, I'm over it. Today, I'm here to dispel myths and offer clarity on the safety of chlorine-free diapers.
Together, we're navigating the misconceptions of total chlorine-free (TCF) and elemental chlorine-free (ECF) options and shedding light on the real risks of dioxin exposure. With a focus on the changes in the diaper industry since the 1990s, I'll reveal why a vigilant eye on meat, dairy, and water quality might be far more critical for your family's health.
And I'm not stopping at health risk. As an environmental lawyer, I'm always going to take the environmental footprint into account as well. We'll chat about why some companies are reverting to ECF and why this might not be as controversial as once thought, thanks to recent studies.
At the end of the day, you need diapers that WORK, don't break the bank and don't keep you up at night worrying. As parents, you have enough to worry about. So it's time to cut through the noise. I'll arm you with strategies for choosing safer diapers with my “Toxin Free Shopping Guide,” and share practical tips for reducing chemical exposure at home. So tune in, as we embrace the facts, release the fear, and take confident steps towards a less toxic lifestyle for your precious little ones.
This may be my most controversial take to date on this podcast. But parents - this one if for you. If you're doing everything in your power to lower your baby's exposure to toxins, I need you to tune in to this episode.
Too much of the information I'm seeing online regarding diapers is nothing short of fear mongering. And frankly, I'm over it. Today, I'm here to dispel myths and offer clarity on the safety of chlorine-free diapers.
Together, we're navigating the misconceptions of total chlorine-free (TCF) and elemental chlorine-free (ECF) options and shedding light on the real risks of dioxin exposure. With a focus on the changes in the diaper industry since the 1990s, I'll reveal why a vigilant eye on meat, dairy, and water quality might be far more critical for your family's health.
And I'm not stopping at health risk. As an environmental lawyer, I'm always going to take the environmental footprint into account as well. We'll chat about why some companies are reverting to ECF and why this might not be as controversial as once thought, thanks to recent studies.
At the end of the day, you need diapers that WORK, don't break the bank and don't keep you up at night worrying. As parents, you have enough to worry about. So it's time to cut through the noise. I'll arm you with strategies for choosing safer diapers with my “Toxin Free Shopping Guide,” and share practical tips for reducing chemical exposure at home. So tune in, as we embrace the facts, release the fear, and take confident steps towards a less toxic lifestyle for your precious little ones.
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Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Detox Dilemma podcast, where toxin-free living meets real life. I'm your host, wendy, an environmental toxins lawyer turned clean living coach, and today I'm going to talk about disposable diapers. Specifically, I want to address the question are total chlorine-free diapers really that much safer and less toxic than elemental chlorine-free diapers? Now, if you ask the Google, you'll see every single holistic health blog and low-tox living website emphatically saying yes, they are better, they are safer, they're cleaner and you should absolutely prioritize them and spend the extra money to ensure your diaper is totally chlorine-free. Why? Because of a chemical byproduct called dioxins. Now, I actually have a different take on this issue and while this may very well go down as the most unpopular opinion I've ever had, I think this topic needs a little dose of perspective. There is a lot of fear around this topic when I hear moms trying to do their very best to choose the right diapers for their babies, and I want to dispel that fear and stick to the facts. So for all the moms out there wondering and worrying about this topic, let's dive in. So I get asked about this a lot from moms. Especially when women become pregnant, they reach out and say hey, I just looked at your toxin-free shopping guide and I noticed that you have a bunch of diapers listed, and some of them are total chlorine-free and some of them are elemental chlorine-free. Why would you recommend diapers that are elemental chlorine-free? I thought they were bad and the answer I give them is that there are so many parts of a diaper to be concerned about, and actually whether or not something is total chlorine-free or elemental chlorine-free is not one of them. I'm actually not concerned about it at all. So let's take a step back.
Speaker 1:
Why is there this pulp in baby diapers to begin with? So a small amount of wood pulp is used in baby diapers. Anything that's wet gets absorbed into this pulp. But that pulp all the way back before the 1990s, it would go through a process called bleaching, where it was literally being bleached by elemental chlorine. This elemental chlorine gas was used and that would leave behind a trice amount of pollutants called dioxins and yes, dioxins are bad. We're going to talk about that in a second. So pulp wasn't just made to make diapers, it's also made to make paper. It was a huge source of dioxin pollution in the paper industry. So back in the 1990s, the United States, canada and Europe said you know what? We need to do something about this, and they started regulating the wood pulp manufacturing process, and the goal was to eliminate any dioxin sources from the industry.
Speaker 1:
Since that regulation has taken place, there are three ways that the pulp is made today. One is elemental chlorine-free, one is enhanced elemental chlorine-free and then the last one is total chlorine-free. Elemental chlorine-free just means that it's bleached with chlorine dioxide instead of elemental chlorine. Enhanced just means that it goes through a separate heating process. And total chlorine-free means that it's bleached using any chemicals other than chlorine, chlorine dioxide or hypochlorite.
Speaker 1:
Most people think the bleaching process is only there to make it white, because that's why we would use a chlorine bleach at home. Right, you would want something that would make your whites whiter. That's what bleach is for. But actually bleaching the pulp does more than that. It actually makes the fibers soft, it softens them, it makes them fluffy and it makes them really absorbent, so it makes the diapers work better. Following that time period over the next 15 years, there have been a lot of peer-reviewed studies done on whether or not this new way of bleaching specifically making diaper pulp or paper pulp does it decrease the amount of dioxins that are created and, in fact, what we have found. It virtually eliminates it.
Speaker 1:
The only way that the elemental chlorine-free process produces any amount, any trace amount, of dioxins whatsoever, is if it's contaminated with elemental chlorine. So is there a chance that there are some really shitty manufacturing plants out there in other places besides Europe and the US and Canada that maybe don't have the same regulatory protocols in place? Maybe they're getting chemicals that could potentially have some contamination and could potentially create a trace amount of dioxins? Sure, that potential exists. The question is, if there's a chance of that, is that a health concern for your baby? The only way to really answer that is to talk about what is the health implication of dioxins.
Speaker 1:
What are dioxins? So dioxins are what we call persistent organic pollutants. It means they take a really long time to break down. Once they're in the environment and in your body, they're highly toxic. They can cause cancer, reproductive developmental problems, damage to your immune system and they're hormone disruptors Other than bleach.
Speaker 1:
Where do dioxins come from? They mostly come from industrial activities, specifically in things like the creation of herbicides and pesticides, burning fuels like wood, coal oil, volcano eruptions. Those are the sources of dioxins. So what happens is all those sources get into our soil, they get into our water, our animals eat it and it accumulates in the fat of animals and fish. So there's dioxin. That's ubiquitous. It just means they're everywhere in very low levels in our environment. 90% of human exposure to dioxins is through the intake of animal fats, meat, dairy products, fish, shellfish and drinking water. If you want to decrease not just your exposure but your baby's exposure to dioxin, go to that 90%. Buy good quality meats that's not coming from factory farms and, honestly, get a really good quality drinking water filter. Your tap water is full of things, not just dioxins, but PFAS and all kinds of things. It is a major source of contamination in your home. Getting a filter is the best way to protect yourself and your baby.
Speaker 1:
Okay, so now that you know what dioxins are, where they come from and where your risk is, let's talk about diapers. So diapers that were bleached with elemental chlorine, which we don't do anymore produce trace levels. And those that are elemental chlorine-free? They are zero pretty much, unless it comes from a factory where there happens to be some contamination and then there could possibly be tiny trace amounts. What is the health risk? There was actually a peer-reviewed study that was published that took a look at what that possible low-level contamination could be and then compared it to the amount of exposure in our food supply. What they concluded was that any exposure to any trace amounts that could possibly be found on a diaper were 30,000 to 2.2 million times lower than the average dietary exposure. In other words, we are exposed to around tens of thousands to not millions of times more dioxins from the United States food supply and water supply and walking around where there's pollution and walking around in industrial areas than the diapers that you could put on your baby.
Speaker 1:
Listen, I'm not saying that zero is not better. If you are somebody who has the budget and you want to spend the significant cost, they cost a lot more. I'm just going to say that because I have moms reaching out to me all the time and they're like what diapers are your best? I just looked at your toxin free shopping guide. Some of these are so expensive I can't afford that. Then they're afraid. They're like oh my gosh, if I can't afford these total chlorine free diapers from this fancy brand who ships it from New Zealand that has all this organic stuff, am I putting my baby in danger? They're scared and they're afraid and that pisses me off because the difference is near zero.
Speaker 1:
I really think that the companies that are creating and I'm just going to say this, nobody's going to like that, but that's okay, because it's what I really mean I really think the companies that are selling total chlorine free and we'll talk in a second yes, they're more environmentally friendly, but I think they're scaring moms. I think they're saying we do things safer and that elemental chlorine free diaper over there that's not safe. I don't think that's fair. I don't think it's fair to make moms feel that way, because it's not true. The science doesn't support it, period. Let's talk about the environmental impact. As an environmental lawyer, I am really passionate about things that have a high environmental impact. Even if the risk of dioxins in diapers were nearly zero, if there was a huge environmental cost, a contamination cost, I would be sitting here on this podcast saying to you you know what, if you want to do what's right for the environment, then this is a good choice. So I dug into that issue.
Speaker 1:
We know that the waste products from total chlorine free pulp are technically cleaner than the ones that come from elemental chlorine free pulp. That's not an apples to apples comparison, and here's why it takes a significant more amount of product to create the wood pulp and the energy to produce the same amount of a finished product when you're using and creating total chlorine free processes. So the same amount of original material and power creates a lot less pulp if you're doing it total chlorine free, and in the environmental world, that actually matters a lot. This is one of the reasons why a lot of companies have been getting skewered in the press about walking back their total chlorine free usage. Companies like honest actually multiple companies in 2023 went from being total chlorine free and then switched to elemental chlorine free and they got a ration of crap for it.
Speaker 1:
There's also a lot of supply chain issues, so there's only two companies currently located in Europe that even make total chlorine free, and so all of these really clean total chlorine free companies have been grappling with over the last few years is there's not enough supply for everyone. So now some companies are dropping off. They're switching to elemental chlorine free, and what companies started doing is because they couldn't get enough of the product. They started putting less of it in their diapers. So we started seeing tons of complaints across the board from some of these diapers that used to get rave reviews, and these moms are saying there's blowouts, there's leaks. These diapers are terrible, they don't work and it's because they started putting less of it in it, because there wasn't as much product to go around. Some brands bounced back. They're not having a problem, some brands haven't.
Speaker 1:
There's still a supply chain issue and, to the point of geographic location, of where these plants are, because it was such a huge effort between Europe and Canada and the United States to really get that level of dioxins that are being produced in the blue gene process down to zero. They have been testing the waters in the areas surrounding these facilities and there was actually a really comprehensive study that was done that took a look at the effluent and the water in the area surrounding facilities that had EFC or total chlorine free processes and comparing them, and they talked about the amount of dioxins being found to be completely undetectable by elemental chlorine free plants. Now, as any good environmental lawyer or toxicologist will tell you, just because something is non-detectable does not mean it's zero. It just means we don't have the technology to test down to that low of a level to be able to detect any of it. And while a lot of really smart people thought rightfully so, that moving to a total chlorine free facility would reduce the risk of dioxins in any of the water and clean up the area and result in less waste. What these reports have found and I will, if you wanna read these reports, I'll go ahead and put them down in the show notes that because total chlorine free pulp produces so much lower yield, so we're using so much more product. They actually cancel each other out. The benefits cancel each other out. This report concluded that the theoretical benefits of total chlorine free and this is from an environmental waste perspective versus elemental chlorine free bleaching have not been realized in the real world and that there is no appreciable difference between the two.
Speaker 1:
I love the environment as much as anyone. I use glass. I'm very careful. I would never wanna sit here and have this platform and tell you to go do something that was harmful for the environment. But on this particular issue, I do not think the science supports what we're saying. You know the consensus out there is total chlorine free is 100%, so much better than elemental chlorine free. And well, I don't believe that. I don't think the science supports it, and I think there's moms out there that this worries them and I think they feel bad, that maybe they can't afford these diapers, or they use them and they don't work, and so then they don't wanna use them, but they feel shamed into using them. Now, just to be super clear this conversation was only comparing total chlorine free versus elemental chlorine free. I don't think there is a difference.
Speaker 1:
I don't think that should be a distinction in whether or not you buy a diaper or you should be concerned about a diaper. Are there other things in diapers I'm concerned about? Oh my gosh, of course, plastic, petroleum, artificial fragrances, phthalates, dyes, lotions. Yes, those are all things that I am concerned about, things that we do have good science on. And because there's no regulation, diaper companies don't actually have to tell you what their stuff is made out of.
Speaker 1:
And I care the absolute most about the thing that's actually touching your baby's skin and that's the top sheet. So for that reason, I have updated my toxin free shopping guide. You can go over to wwwtoxinfreeshoppingguidecom and under the baby section you're now gonna find lots of fantastic, clean, mostly non-toxic. You're never gonna get the perfect disposable diaper. You're never gonna get a completely plant-based like nothing chemical is used on it All of the different parts of a diaper. You're never gonna get the perfect company, but I do have some favorites. I specifically look for them to be Okotex certified it doesn't mean there's no chemicals in them, but it definitely means there's a heck of a lot less. And I look for companies that are using something plant based on that top sheet that's touching your baby's skin.
Speaker 1:
And finally, just to wrap this up, if you are concerned about chemicals and toxins around your baby, here are three simple things that you can do that make a significant difference. Number one I already talked about filter your water, and not with a Brita, with a high quality, nsf certified water filter. I also have a water filter section on my Toxin Free Shopping Guide. If you're drinking clean water and you're breastfeeding your baby, or you're using clean, filtered water and you're giving your baby a clean, organic, safe formula, that will dramatically reduce the amount of toxins that they're exposed to, just cleaning the water you're drinking and that you are making their formula out of. Number two go around your house and throw away any artificial fragrance. Anything glade plugins for breeze sprays, room sprays, candles, anything like that. I have a safe fragrance section on my Shopping Guide. Get rid of the artificial fragrances. They are full of hormone disruptors that are not just bad for adults but significantly impact your child so much more than you because of their small size. The third thing you can do clean up your cleaning supplies. The toxins that are found in disinfectants and bleaches and the things that you're cleaning your house with and you're doing your laundry with. That's a big one. They're polluting the indoor air quality of your home and your baby is breathing it all day long. So over on that Shopping Guide, I've got some really safe, non-toxic cleaners that you can switch to. Those are the things that are gonna make the biggest difference when it comes to toxin exposures for your baby.
Speaker 1:
Listen, I know people are gonna listen to this and be like Wendy has lost her mind, but I really believe in being realistic, I really believe in having perspective and I really believe in facts. I love facts. I think facts are so important, and it makes me sad that when you Google this issue, I do see a lot of fear, and you know moms have a lot of things to worry about with their kids. We don't need to be afraid of more things, and so if you are out there using a diaper that is elemental chlorine free and you love it and it's what you can afford. I don't want you to think even a second about it. I want you to let that go and give yourself space to worry about other things, like cuddling that cute baby of yours. As always, thank you for being here. I hope you enjoyed this episode and I hope that your life is getting just a little bit less toxic.