When my daughter was born, I was unaware cloth diapers were still being used. I thought this archaic method of diapering was long removed from modern parenting. Instead, I wrapped her snuggly in disposables, whose packaging seem to promise they were the safest and most absorbent of my options. It wasn’t until my husband informed me his friend used cloth diapers that I gave them any thought. “Why the heck, would anyone cloth diaper?” I wondered. My curiosity got the better of me so I looked into why someone would chose cloth over disposables. I was horrified at the dangers my diapering method posed to my baby’s health and the environment. I found that they were not only dangerous, they were expensive.
The harshness of the chemicals in disposable diapers frightened me. The most notorious chemical found in single use diapers are Dioxins. Thomas Corriher (n.a.) states,
Dioxins accumulate in the body throughout the lifetime of victims. Dioxin exposure as a child will impede the immune system of the individual forever. It means that they will never be as strong as they should have been. Dioxins are responsible for a range of reproductive and developmental problems,
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The dioxin exposure from agent orange wreaked havoc on the health of our veterans that fought in Vietnam. The Aspen institute reports (as cited by The U.S. Institute of Medicine’s report, 2009) there is “sufficient evidence of association between exposure to Agent Orange/dioxin and five illnesses: soft-tissue sarcoma, non Hodgkin 's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (including hairy-cell leukemia), Hodgkin’s disease, and chloracne.” (pg.1) I was flabbergasted that something this volatile would be allowed in something babies would wear almost every moment of their lives until they were potty trained. Unbelievably, dioxin is not the only thing used to make disposables diapers with a well documented history of negative impacts on human
Dioxin is a member of the family of organic compounds known as aromatics. Dioxin is the shorthand that refers to a family of polychlorinated dibezodioxins or PCDDs. Their general structure is that of two chlorinated benzene rings joined by two oxygens, hence dioxin. Dioxin is not made intentionally but are usually formed as by-products in many large scale chemical processes such as paper pulp bleaching with chlorine and most significantly, the manufacture of chlorophenol chemicals.
Orange and Cancer"). The chemical was sprayed from airplanes on trees, base perimeters, roadways, and communication lines. It was also sprayed by riverboats and trucks (committee, 74). Agent Orange is a dioxin herbicide containing Dichlorophenoxyacetic and Trichlorophenoxyacetic acids. "Dioxin is the most toxic and most durable chemical mankind has developed so far" ("Vietnamese"). Both acids are highly toxic and considered mutagens ("Toxipedia"). Trichlorophenoxyacetic is considerabl...
Why has the use of Agent Orange become so controversial? The Americans dropped the atomic bomb to end World War II and did not have the backlash that it had, and still has, with Agent Orange. The ver...
"Chemical Warfare Agents - Resources on the health effects from chemical weapons, emergency response & treatment, counterterrorism, and emergency preparedness.au.af." Specialized Information Services - Reliable information on toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, HIV/AIDS, and minority health. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2010.
Schecter, Arnold, et al. "Recent Dioxin Contamination From Agent Orange in Residents of a Southern Vietnam City." FFRD. N.p., May 2011. . Rpt. in JOEM. Vol. 43. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. 5. FFRD. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.
Why choose cloth diapers? Real Diaper Association Diaper Facts.. (n.d.). Why choose cloth diapers? Real Diaper Association Diaper Facts.. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts
Whenever someone hears the phrase, “toxic shock syndrome”, they think of tampons. Most people associate this syndrome with tampons because tampon boxes clearly warn toxic shock syndrome as a possible condition that can result in the ...
The prenatal period is susceptible in terms of embryonic development, and some exposures to teratogens can have adverse and lifelong effects on a baby. Although physical outcomes resulting from teratogen exposure cannot be reversed, with hope, some of the behavioral effects of teratogens may have a decreased impact on the life of the child, though all mothers should pay special attention to the health of their child throughout their pregnancy.
Dr. Michael Gough, a retired biologist was quoted as saying “the conclusion I’ve come to is that there is no evidence whatsoever to support any connection between low-level dioxin exposure and any human disease”. Some say they will not do research because it is another thing “...that will be linked to the health complaints of Vietnam veterans” (Kolata, A16). There is hope still. In 1996, Clinton ordered disability benefits for Vietnam veterans suffering from prostate cancer and nerve disease associated with Agent Orange.
Sorensen, J., & Abbott, E. (2004). The Maternity and Infancy Revolution. Maternal & Child Health Jounal, 8(3), 107-110. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14089739&site=ehost-live
The affects teratogens can have on the developing fetus can vary greatly. Research provided from the University of Iowa’s on teratogens explains some of the possible outcome to exposure to certain teratogens. Listed birth defects resulting from exposure to teratogens, range from prenatal death, to physical and mental abnormalities.
During recent years, numerous newspaper and magazine articles have suggested that humans may be at risk because small amounts of well known environmental contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, can affect hormone levels. Hormones are produced by the endocrine system as regulators of biological function in target organs. Because hormones play a critical role in early development, toxicological effects on the endocrine system often have an impact on the reproductive system. The term endocrine disruptor is used to describe chemicals that can mimic hormones and may either enhance or counteract their effects. It has been suggested that these hormone changes can, in turn, lead to a variety of health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and abnormalities in newborns.
The purpose of this research paper is that to present the difficulties Procter & Gamble faced in the early 1980¡¦s due to a correlation between the company¡¦s Rely tampon and the disease Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Also, how the company handled the findings before and after new laws were passed by Congress giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate medical devices, which included tampons. Thereafter, I will analyze the ethical issues relevant to this case within a SWOT analysis.
Incontinence pads are specifically designed to absorb urine leakage and protect the skin from wetness. Research has shown that three out of every five of its consumer members used some type of incontinence pad or adult nappy.
Many people prefer the disposable diapers over the hassle of having to deal with cloth diapers. Cloth diapers often get the reputation of being hassle and annoying, but that isn’t always true. With cloth diapers, the cost per change is less of a factor because each cloth diaper can be reused hundreds of time, compared to being thrown away after each single