Eww, Soiled Diapers Are Taking Up Our Landfills

We've seen recycling efforts being done, including banning the usage of polystyrene and enforcing people to separate their trash at home. But Malaysia still has a long way to go when it comes to dealing with our environmental problems.

Image: www.thestar.com.my

A report by The Star revealed that 12% of Malaysia's landfill waste consist of disposable diapers, which is almost the same amount of the total plastic waste in Malaysia's landfills. Environment and Waste Management specialist Dr Theng Lee Chong estimates that Malaysians use up to 9.72 million pieces of diapers in a day.

That number's no joke, and keep in mind that there are also older adults who need to use diapers. The exact amount of time it takes for diapers to decompose is unknown, though it is estimated to take up to 250-500 years. Currently, there are no campaigns or any call for action to stop using disposable diapers.

And the thing is, they're not the only items being overlooked. Check out the useful infographic below to see how long it takes for some of the most used everyday items to decompose.

Image: www.greenpackagingstore.com