Jason and Kimberley Graham-Nye, eco-diaper entrepreneurs, answer questions 0

The Graham-Nye clan.

What are your job titles?

Cofounders, CEO and president, dad and mum of gDiapers.

What does your company do?

Manufacture and market the world's only flushable diaper. Every day in the U.S., 50 million waste-filled diapers go into the landfill where they sit for up to 500 years. Diapers are the third-largest contributor to landfills. Flushing puts poop where it belongs -- in the toilet. Not the landfill.

What are you working on at the moment?

The gDiaper goods.

Thrills and spills of a start-up, and we're right in the middle of the whitewater, as our chief culture officer says. We're gearing up for national rollout and preparing to launch a fashion line of our "little g" pants.

How do you get to work?

Roll out of bed and come downstairs. Traffic is a bugger.

What long and winding road led you to your current position?

Jason: Extremely linear -- stock broker, teacher, translator, writer, event planner, diaper executive.

Kim: Teacher in Japan, orphanage in Mexico, AIDS work in Africa, writer, event planner in Australia, diaper diva.

Where were you born? Where do you live now?

Jason: I was born in Sydney, Australia, and live now in Portland, Ore. If the rain doesn't stop ... Florida, San Diego, or Hawaii?

Kim: Born Montreal, Canada; ditto P-town.

What has been the worst moment in your professional life to date?

Jason: Death of major investor. "Fire in the plant!"

Kim: Making the same mistake twice.

What's been the best?

Jason: Seeing gDiapers on store shelves for the first time.

Kim: Feeling like we're doing something worthwhile. And getting feedback from parents saying they feel like what they're doing matters as well.

What environmental offense has infuriated you the most?

Jason: Cigarette butts on the beach in Sydney. If an individual does that, there's nothing stopping a large corporation from polluting on a large scale.

Kim: Individual selfishness. We all need to think about our lives in a broader context.

Who is your environmental hero?

Jason: Bill McDonough.

Kim: Anita Roddick.

What's your environmental vice?

Jason: Definitely golf. There's gotta be a way to develop a hydroponic golf course.

Kim: I'm sure I don't eat nearly enough organic chocolate.

How do you spend your free time? Read any good books lately?

Jason: I run, run, run; marathon No. 5 is coming up. And I read; my recent favorite is Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

Kim: Spending time with my boys: Jason, Fynn (3), Harper (1), and Mohican (canine).

What's your favorite meal?

Jason: Mum's roast lamb. Can't forget the roasted veggies!

Kim: Does chocolate count as a meal?

Which stereotype about environmentalists most fits you?

We drive a Prius. Gave birth to our boys in the water, at home, without drugs. Love the beach.

What's your favorite place or ecosystem?

Bondi Beach, Australia.

If you could institute by fiat one environmental reform, what would it be?

Jason: Product stewardship. If you make it, you must take it back after it's been used.

Kim: It's just like I tell my boys: "Clean up your own mess."

Who was your favorite musical artist when you were 18? How about now?

Jason: 1988: Midnight Oil. 2006: Missy Higgins.

Kim: 1988: Kylie Minogue. 2006: Dana Lyons -- have you heard "Cows With Guns?"

What's your favorite movie?

Jason: Shawshank Redemption.

Which actor would play you in the story of your life?

Jason: Hugh Jackman, an Aussie, all singing and dancing.

Kim: Kate Hudson; can't you see her with a baby in the sling and co-sleeping?

If you could have every InterActivist reader do one thing, what would it be?

Read Cradle to Cradle. And see a sunrise at Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. That'll change your life.

The Graham-Nye clan.

Flush Forward

If you are truly striving for "eco-friendly," how do you justify any disposable? In view of our addiction to excess consumption, aren't disposable diapers perpetuating the myth that use-it-once is OK? In striving for sustainable practices, shouldn't we be cultivating habits of reuse, as in laundering cloth diapers?    -- Joanne Poyourow, Los Angeles, Calif.

We certainly agree with you in principle on this. We are a throwaway society obsessed with our own convenience. However, when looking at the full environmental impact of diapers, you must consider how they are made, how they are used, and how they are disposed of. Our reused gDiapers are a hybrid option, consisting of an outer cover that is reused and a flushable refill that turns waste into a resource. The flushable refill is truly a "cradle to cradle" design. This means that everything in our flushables gets reabsorbed back into the ecosystem, literally turning waste into a resource. Within the Cradle to Cradle Certification process, MBDC [McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, an eco-friendly design consultancy] evaluates a material or product's ingredients, and the complete formulation, for human and environmental-health impacts throughout its lifecycle, as well as its potential for being truly recycled or safely composted. Certification of a finished product also requires the evaluation of energy-use quantity and quality (i.e., relative proportion of renewable energy), water-use quantity, water-effluent quality, and workplace ethics associated with manufacturing.

What is the disposable insert made of?    -- G.L., Albuquerque, N.M.

The outer material of the flushable refill is viscose rayon, a natural material that comes from trees. It is the only polymer used in the textile industry that comes from a natural, renewable, and non-fossil-fuel source. It is both compostable and flushable. The fabric has a stay-dry feel, which keeps your baby happy. The inner core of the flushable is made of soft, fluffed wood pulp and super absorber. Like the outer material, the inside of the flushable comes from sustainably managed forests using an elemental-chlorine-free process.

My friends use gDiapers with their children, and they love them and are glad to find a product that helps them be more conscious as consumers. We were talking about the fluff pulp in them and wondered if the fiber is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which is the only credible certification system according to the environmental movement.    -- Joshua Martin, Asheville, N.C.

Thanks for the question. Our pulp supplier is actually certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. We are fully aware of the great SFI vs. FSC debate. When we successfully applied for our Co-op America membership last year, we discussed at length the pros and cons of each certification system. However, the membership committee was sufficiently satisfied and granted us membership. Beyond certification, we find it most frustrating that in the pulp industry, there is only one complete chlorine-free mill in the world, and they weren't willing to supply us. As we grow, we would like to be an agent of change in the industry, and we hope to be able to source both FSC and completely chlorine-free fluff pulp.

Are the diapers made with fewer chemicals than traditional disposable diapers?    -- Diane Zipper, Portland, Ore.

Absolutely. gDiapers are free of elemental chlorine (the same as Seventh Generation diapers) and test "non-detect" for dioxins in our manufacturing process. gDiapers do not contain the perfumes or plastic present in traditional disposable diapers (which can take up to 500 years to biodegrade in a landfill). gDiapers do contain the compound sodium polyacrylate (a super-absorbing polymer, or SAP), which is critical for absorbency.

I love gDiapers. I have purchased them as an occasional alternative to the cloth diapers we regularly use. I would use them more if they didn't have sodium polyacrylate. Why do you insist that sodium polyacrylate is OK?    -- Lisa Vickery, San Jose, Calif.

Sodium polyacrylate seems to be a very passionate issue. Before we got involved with gDiapers, we too were wary of SAP; after all, it just seems "bad." After an extensive review of scientific research, we felt comfortable using it on our own boys.

Sodium polyacrylate has been rigorously tested both in the U.S. and abroad, and the predominant conclusions are that it is completely safe and non-toxic. MBDC is a leading U.S.-based design chemistry firm that has assessed SAP as GREEN, which is the safest assessment a chemical or material can receive. The FDA has approved SAP as a food additive, and the EPA considers SAP "harmless" when ingested. A 10 pound baby would have to eat about 200 grams of SAP -- or 50 gDiapers! -- to be at risk. Also, to put this in perspective, SAP is less toxic than table sugar.

We appreciate that no matter what arguments we put forth there will be parents who are still not comfortable with SAP in their diapers. Fair enough. For us, the plastic in disposables is a much bigger issue for both our sons' health and comfort.

I work in the wastewater business, and I can tell you that most -- if not all -- "flushable" products (toilet paper included) do not disintegrate. They end up getting screened out at the treatment plant and sent to the landfill -- just the place you're trying to avoid. Do your diapers disintegrate easily in water? If not, they simply become part of our problem.    -- Karen DuBose, North Bend, Wash.

Many thanks for your question. Be assured, we have researched extensively the wastewater-treatment process and are confident that flushing -- and the subsequent reduction of the amount of human waste going into the landfill -- has many benefits. The flushable refill has been available in Australia for 15 years. Over that time, we have conducted due diligence by working with wastewater facilities there. This involved hands-on testing of the product. Settleable solids volumetric analysis was done as per the Australian Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. We also conducted additional testing in terms of chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand levels. None of these raised concerns with the authorities. We have shared these results with local U.S. authorities; they expressed no concerns after reviewing our due diligence.

Also, the gDiapers flushable is complimentary to the wastewater facility's production of biosolids, which, as you know, is a great way to make a resource out of waste. The EPA estimates that 16,000 publicly owned treatment facilities generate approximately 7 million tons of sewage sludge. About 80 percent of all sewage sludge is biosolids that is used as a fertilizer on farmland following treatment. It appears that at the North Bend, Wash., facility, 1.2 million gallons of biosolids were applied to forestland and grazing land last year.

Our technical director oversees all of our product testing, and as a business, we take very seriously the impact of the product on wastewater facilities. Please let me know if you would like to discuss further the details of our testing to date.

Your product sounds fantastic -- a cross between cloth and disposables. I was wondering if it's safe to flush refills into a rural septic system?    -- Lynn Jacobs, Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada

Australians have used flushables with their septics for years. However, as any septic-system owner knows, care must be taken not to overload the system when any new material is introduced. With a new baby, there may be as many as 10 changes a day, and if you have more than one child, even more. Just as we say "know thy toilet," we also encourage you to "know thy septic." When first using gDiapers flushables with a septic system, check every few days to ensure that the outflow is clear. Usually this can be done very simply by opening the lid of the septic tank (where it is emptied) to check the water level. Many septic users compost the wet ones and only flush the poopy ones. Great for your garden and less stress for your system. All the materials in a gDiapers flushable refill are organic, and if the septic is working properly, will break down completely and be discharged with the effluent. The one exception is the SAP, which will not break down but is inert and will settle out. However this is a very small amount of material (less than 4 grams per diaper).

My husband and I would like to do some backpacking this summer with our baby but the prospect of packing out five days worth of dirty cloth diapers isn't very appealing. Can gDiapers be buried in the forest like other human waste?    -- Raeben Nolan, Portland, Ore.

The important thing when backpacking is to follow "Leave No Trace" principles as well as any specific regulations of the land-management agency that manages the land where you are backpacking. To dispose of human waste properly, bury it in holes 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water, trails, and camp. Leave No Trace recommends that you use toilet paper sparingly and pack it out whenever possible. We recommend the same for gDiapers. While gDiapers flushables will break down, it is best to pack them out to ensure that our pristine lands remain so for all to enjoy. I would also recommend you familiarize yourself with gDiapers before you head off on your trip. Get comfortable with the fit during the day, graduate to nighttime use (see our website for nighttime tips), and then you can feel confident while you are backpacking.

I'm a middle-class mom who desperately wants to be able to use gDiapers; however, my budget just can't afford it ($20 per case of disposables vs. $52 per case of gDiapers refills). I am willing to pay somewhat of a premium for green goods, but just not that much! Any hope for mass-produced, cheaper gDiapers in the near future?    -- Lisa Glover, Apex, N.C.

We are certainly working as hard as we can to get our pricing down. At the moment, we are available in natural-products retailers and online, and are priced competitively with other earth-friendly diaper alternatives. Price competition with mainstream-brand disposable diapers is difficult for two reasons: first, gDiapers cost more to make, and second, mainstream disposables are often sold as "loss leaders." This means that stores may sell diapers with little or no profit margin, to drive traffic to their stores and to drive sales of other products. As parents, we find it frustrating that choosing the best product for the environment often costs more. As we increase our production and demand, we are committed to passing those savings on to our customers. In the meantime, thanks for your commitment and be sure to sign up for our email list, so you'll receive notice of our sales!

When will gDiapers appear in stores on the East Coast?    -- Erika Holmberg, Boston, Mass.

We should be on the East Coast by mid-summer. gDiapers are also available nationally at gdiapers.com.

Will you be creating a gDiapers line for older, bigger children who just need a little more time or help? They're a forgotten group, but are important as the longer-term incontinence adds up in the landfill.    -- Pepper Elias, Yarmouth, Maine

We promise you are not a forgotten group! The original flushable diaper from Australia has been making some great briefs and boxers for all ages for the past few years. Although we aren't currently marketing this range under gDiapers yet, you can go to Eenee Eco Nappies and purchase the underwear from them. You can then get the flushable refills from us locally.

I'm excited to see that gDiapers has received Cradle to Cradle design certification from MBDC, but I'm wondering if this award has taken the water and energy usage of sewage treatment into consideration. Does the environmental success of these diapers also require innovations such as low-flow toilets and a renewable energy source at the treatment plant?    -- Sara Marks, Aspen, Colo.

The MBDC certification assures that all the materials used in the flushable refill have been evaluated against 19 human- and environmental-health criteria and can be fully recycled without risk to ecosystems or human health. The environmental success of the product does not require low-flow toilets or renewable energy sources at the treatment plant, but both would make it even better.

What is your source for the statement "Diapers are the third-largest contributor to landfills"? Research done by scientists shows that diapers actually comprise less than 10 percent of any landfill and often closer to 1 percent. Look into research done by William Rathje for actual percentages.    -- Colleen Kulesza, Dundee, Ill.

We looked at the EPA's raw data and referred to Rathje's data. We then approached the Worldwatch Institute -- a highly respected source of environmental research. They reviewed the EPA data and agreed that diapers are in fact the No. 3 contributor. You are right that diapers are less than 10 percent of any landfill. But if you consider the sheer variety of items in a landfill, even at 10 percent, diapers come in as No. 3 after newspapers and beverage containers. We absolutely hear you in terms of the importance of making sure any claims we make are backed up by hard science. We have a technical director whose entire focus is just this. In our Happy Planet section on our website, we are sure to footnote the claims we make.

Have you found a good way to talk to the workers at day-care centers about using gDiapers there?    -- Aimee Powel, Framingham, Mass.

Unfortunately, day-care use of gDiapers must be approached on a very case-by-case basis at this early stage. We are working toward sustainable solutions for day-care and hospital diaper disposal for the long term that would enable them to handle larger quantities of diapers. But for now, flushing may not be suitable for many day-care centers. For centers using cloth, it might be easier, but for the vast majority of day-cares, the switch might be trickier.

What we've found has worked for some parents is to provide the center with two spare "little g" pants (pre-loaded with flushables) and a few extra flushables. When the child needs a diaper change, the caregiver just puts an entirely new gDiaper on, gets the child settled, then either flushes the flushable, throws it away, or puts it into a plastic bag to send home with the parents. It might not be ideal from the parents' perspective, but it's certainly a possible solution for the short term.

Congratulations on this product! Do you have any plans to talk to legislators so that all diapers would have to be made in a similar way?    -- Rebecca Millsop, Thief River Falls, Minn.

We haven't considered the public-policy approach, yet. Perhaps there's a lobbyist interested in being paid in diapers instead of cash! We also believe in "voting with our dollars" and think that the global economic market is an incredibly powerful place to influence social and environmental change.

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