Why are diapers bad for the environment?

Disposable diapers are put into landfills. The plastic and absorbent materials take a long time to break down.

If the baby's bowel movements (faeces) are not flushed down a toilet, then they can biodegrate anaerobically (without air), producing methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide.

However, cloth diapers are not much easier on the environement. They require laundry to be done, which means using a lot of water and energy as well as releasing waste water and soap into the environment.