Composting Diapers Explained: Can You Compost Diapers?
Most conventional diaper brands are not compostable since they contain plastics and chemicals. So if you're on a mission to make eco-friendly choices, composting diapers is one way to reduce the amount of waste your family contributes to landfills.
Luckily, we provide plant-based, biodegradable disposable diapers with components thoughtfully chosen for baby's sensitive skin.
Usually, you can compost diapers through a local composting service or industrial composting facility. However, the most accessible and convenient option for composting diapers is in your backyard.
In this blog post, we'll answer all your questions about composting diapers, from how to compost diapers to how long it takes to break them down in your home compost bins.
Can You Compost Diapers?
Absolutely! As long as you buy the right brand. As we mentioned, not all diapers are created equally as eco-friendly. You can compost diapers in a few different ways:
- Use a compostable diaper service. Instead of bringing soiled diapers to an industrial composting facility yourself, some companies will come to your house and pick them up for you.
- Use a local industrial composting facility. Whether you live in a big city or a small town, there’s most likely an industrial composter nearby that reaches high enough temperatures to break down compostable diapers and bacteria. Before you head over, call your municipal waste program to ensure they accept biodegradable diapers in the compost bin.
- Use your outdoor compost bin to break down diapers. Read on to learn how!
How to Compost Diapers
First, you can only compost wet diapers– you should throw soiled diapers with solid waste in the garbage. Before you compost, ensure you're wearing gloves and have gathered at least two to three days' worth of wet diapers.
You can compost biodegradable diapers in three steps:
Tear the diaper
Start by holding a diaper over your compost pile and tearing it down from the front toward the back. The side should open up easily, and the interior will fall on top of the compost pile. Throw the remaining parts of the diaper away.
Spread the diaper
As with any other compostable item, use a shovel to spread out the diapers you've added to the pile and lightly mix them with the top layer of compost.
Bury the diaper
To prevent the smell of the composting diapers from traveling far and insects from attacking the pile, cover the diaper material with at least a half inch of compost or soil, preferably using some compost from the bottom of the pile.
How Long Does It Take for Diapers to Break Down?
It depends on what type of composter you're using. Diapers will break down in roughly 12 months in an open-air pile or compost tumbler. Meanwhile, a hot composting bin can break down compostable diapers in a few months.
