| “Real”
nappies are reusable nappies, which can be washed and used
many times, as opposed to disposable nappies, which are worn
once and then thrown away. Real nappies have been improved
a lot in recent years, and parents can buy different types
to suit their needs. Many local businesses offering nappy
laundry services have sprung up, and while using these may
cost more than washing the nappies at home they suit parents
who are short of time or drying space.
Although the initial outlay is higher, using
real nappies saves money for both parents and taxpayers. Some
people prefer to use real nappies because they work out cheaper,
some because they are concerned for the environment, and some
parents use real nappies because they believe they are better
for their babies’ well-being.
Some proponents of disposable nappies claim
that using real nappies is not better for the environment.
Manufacturers of disposables claim they are no worse for the
environment because real nappies use up electricity in the
laundering process. But in fact, the Women’s Environmental
network won a case against Procter & Gamble before the
Advertising Standards Authority for making claims to that
effect, and Procter & Gamble are banned from make such
claims in the future.
The simple fact is that while the energy used
in laundering could one day come from zero-emissions, renewable
resources, disposable nappies will always need to be disposed
of either by landfill or incineration.
In fact, disposable nappies are much worse
in environmental terms:
a. They use 3.5 times more energy than real
nappies to produce.
b. They use 8 times more non-regenerable materials.
c. They use 90 times more renewable resources.
d. They generate 60 times more solid waste.
e. They require 4 times the land for growing
the natural materials used in nappy production.
Disposables vs reusables
The average baby has their nappy changed
around 5000 times before being potty trained. It costs about
£1000 to buy this many disposables.
3.2 Using cotton nappies rather than disposables
saves roughly £600 for a first child, and £800
for a second child if parents use the same cotton nappies
again [3].
3.3 Nearly 3 billion nappies are thrown away
in the UK every year. About 90% of these end up in landfill
.
3.4 Estimates vary, but disposable nappies
are reckoned to represent between 2.5% and 5% of household
waste. Assuming a figure of 4%, the disposal cost of nappies
to the UK taxpayer is around £40 million each year .
3.5 If the average cotton nappy costs £2,
and the average parent needs 24 nappies, then the cost of
providing a baby with a year’s supply of nappies would
be £48.
Real
Nappy Article | Nappy
Changing—What to Expect! | Washing
& Care Instructions |
Terminology—what
is what in the nappy world? | How
do I assemble a cloth nappy? |
Nappy
creams, barrier creams and nappy rash | Why
Choose Cloth Nappies 1 |
Why Choose
Cloth Nappies 2 | Why
Choose Cloth Nappies 3 | How
do I choose which nappies to use? |
How many
nappies will I need? | Washing
- Frequently Asked Questions | What
are Real Nappies |
Real
Nappy Project
|
