The Environmental Impact of Adult Diapers and Pads

Diapers and pads are the most commonly used products for incontinence symptoms. The positives about them are that they are quick to use and provide relief to the wearer in the moment. Although many people like to depend on them, there are downsides to this type of use. Not only are they non-discreet, but they have a negative impact on the environment because they are disposable, contain many chemicals, soft wood pulp, and are mass factory produced to meet demand. This demand has a huge impact from the soft lumber industry resulting in deforestation which is greatly affecting our planet. The chemicals used to manufacture and included in absorbable products are not only harmful to people’s skin but result in soil and ground water contamination from landfill seepage. 

Even though they are considered popular consumer products, their convenience comes at a cost to the environment. Urinary incontinence affects more than 400 million adults worldwide, if 50% of this population uses on average 5+ diapers per day this results in more than 1 billion diapers disposed of in landfills each day! That means that the more diapers and pads we use, the more they will be sitting in landfills for 100’s of years to come. At the end of the day, diapers and pads are perfectly acceptable for hiding incontinence symptoms, and many people rely on them on a daily basis to contain the issue, but it all depends on frequency. If an adult is spending on average $1 per diaper 5 per day this equates to more than $150 every single month, so if you’re using diapers and pads a lot, then there are better options to eliminate disposables and start reducing the amount of waste from these products. 

At ActivKare, we specialize in urinary incontinence products that are reusable, comfortable, and won’t harm the environment over time. Recyclable components. We offer Contiform for women, an insertable pessary for stress urinary incontinence, and ActivGo/Afex for men, brief style kits that with attached bags to collect urine leakage. All three of these products are designed to be used again and again, making them appealing for anyone thinking of eliminating diapers and pads due to the impact on the environmental and your wallet. 

Another benefit of these products versus diapers and pads is that the longevity of reusable products is better, making purchasing less frequent which cuts emissions over time. Once you buy one of our kits, you can simply buy replacement parts as needed. This cuts out a lot of the harmful fumes, and other chemicals that are emitted during the transportation process. Not only are diapers and pads harmful in landfills, but they’re frequency of use makes them have a larger negative impact versus a one-time purchase of a reusable product. Overall, choosing reusable products for urinary incontinence drastically reduces the environmental impact that disposable products can have over time. Check out our line of reusable insurable products for men and women at www.activkare.com.