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| |    Diaper Disposal by Susan E. Davis reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Whether you use disposables or cloth diapers, you need to handle them in a hygienic manner after they're soiled to safeguard your family's health and the environment. Disposable diapers The simplest approach is to throw the soiled diaper in the garbage. But that can get pretty stinky (especially when your baby starts eating solids). It's also environmentally irresponsible, as you're essentially sending feces to the landfill, where the bacteria they harbor (including E.coli) can leach into groundwater. Instead, dump as much of the diaper's contents into the toilet as possible. Then either wrap it up in a plastic bag (supermarket bags work well for this) and throw it in your trash, a diaper pail, or a special diaper disposer that both compacts and deodorizes the diapers until you're ready to put them out with your garbage. The last is great for getting rid of the sight and smell of dirty diapers, but it does require special liners. And even the best models don't remain sweet smelling for all of your child's diaper years; the plastic tends to absorb the poop smell, which can get truly offensive with age. Cotton diapers A pail for cotton diapers needs to hold two dozen or more (so you're not doing too many small loads, which use up precious energy and time), have a locking lid for safety (to keep babies and toddlers from falling in head first), and some kind of spout so you can pour off any dirty water (into the toilet, please, to avoid polluting your local groundwater). Some kinds of waterless diaper pails-including those that many services provide-have special blue deodorizing tablets. These can be a mixed blessing: Safety experts warn that the little tablets can look like candy to children, so keep them well out of reach and locked away. Also, some adults find their rather cloying odor to be as offensive as that of baby poop.
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