There are two major claims advocated by environmentalist groups that need to be considered for this policy. The first claim is that taxpayers would support the disposable diaper industry with nearly $1 billion through hidden subsidies, if all U.S. children were to use paper diapers. These subsidies benefit the paper industry through cheap water for production and pollution control as well as under-priced wood supplies, and consumers of paper diapers through under-priced solid-waste disposal. This particular claim, however, is not entirely accurate. According to a non-profit organization, subsidies are given to the timber industry in general, not only to those who manufacture paper diapers. "$900 million is speci

al provisions for timber companies, driving down the costs of virgin wood products...."(1) Also, subsidies pay for irrigation of crops, some of which is cotton. "Republican soft-money donor J.G. Boswell, is believed to have more land--as much as 192,000 acres under cultivation--than anyone else in America and is said to be worth half a billion dollars. Subsidized water helped make the man, and taxpayers all over the country still help pay to irrigate Boswell's bountiful crops of cotton and alfalfa. Taxpayers also subsidize Boswell's cotton crop; he and other irrigators who grew federally subsidized crops are, in effect, being paid twice for expending a valuable commodity on an unneeded product. Estimates of this "double dip" portion of irrigation subsidies range from $85 million to $800 million a year."(2) Considering that subsidies are benefiting the paper and cotton industries, the environmentalist's proposal of a 10% tax on paper diaper users only, should be carefully assessed. In the past cities have charged preferential rates to the largest user of water in their area. The citizen uproar over being charged more for water than the large and wasteful user has forced many water providers to charge equal rates. In the new rate structure in the City of Newport News they now charge one rate of $2.04 per hundred cubic feet consumed. In the summer there is a differential of 0.43 cents per hundred cubic feet consumed over the average of the winter consumption rates. Interestingly, this rate change has forced major user to modify some of their wasteful water use procedures or to stop their operations. One of the industries that has disappeared on the Peninsula is a diaper service.

The debate goes on and on as to the health issues related to the use of different types of diapers. Diaper rash is of major concern to most parents, not only for the discomfort that it provides the child, but also for the prospect of the introduction of infection into the child.

(1) http://www.progress.org/archive/foe4.htm

(A) A top liner designed and constructed of materials (e.g., a geomembrane) to prevent the migration of hazardous constituents into such liner during the active life and post-closure care period; and

Some common words found in the essay are:
Linus Peanuts, Denbigh Virginia, Subpart N--Landfills, Regional Administrator, JG Boswell, Water Act, United Figure, Environmental Issue, City Newport, University Convenience, cloth diapers, disposable diapers, solid waste, leachate collection, leachate collection removal, collection removal, collection removal system, paper diapers, municipal solid, single parent, removal system, 29 1992, municipal solid waste, post-closure care period, life post-closure care,
Approximate Word count = 2787
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)