Real Nappy Information
Every year approximately 3 billion disposable nappies end up in landfill sites in the UK and Leicestershire contributes
50 million of these annually!
When disposable nappies are buried in landfill sites they can remain there for anything up to 500 years, way after your
children have become grandparents! While they are buried in the ground, the parts of the nappy which decomposes gives off
methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, which contributes to global warming.
Disposable nappies make up approximately 4% of household waste and for a household with a baby, nappies can contribute
up to 50% of the weekly households rubbish.
Using real nappies doesn't just benefit the environment - have a look at the other positive aspects of re-usables below:-
Baby
Disposable nappies are made of super absorbent chemical gels, paper pulp and plastic, while cloth nappies are mostly made
of natural fabrics. Real nappies are safe, comfortable, naturally absorbent and much kinder to baby's bottom. Most are fully
breathable and give no greater risk of nappy rash. Another benefit is the thickness of the fabric provides handy padding
for tots learning to walk! In addition babies who wear real nappies tend to potty train earlier.
Ease of Use
Many people do not realise how far today's modern re-usable nappies have come from the days of boiling tubs of terries.
Nappies and wraps can be washed with non-biological powder at 60C. The nappies come with a biodegradable liner so solids
can be flushed down the toilet, leaving no piles of soiled nappies in between washes.
An extensive range of shaped and fitted nappies are now available with popper and Velcro fastening to make changing quick
and easy. They are available in a wide range of appealing styles and designs.
Financial
A baby will wear around 5,400 nappies from birth to potty and the cost of buying disposables is in the region of £700 to
£1000. The Real Nappy Association has calculated that savings from using real nappies for a first child alone can amount
to £600. Most can be used for several children, meaning even greater savings.
Environment
Over 7 million trees are chopped down every year to produce the pulp which is the largest single constituent of the disposable
nappy. In 1991 the Women's Environmental Network commissioned a study which concluded that disposables do have a greater
impact on the environment than washable nappies. This study shows that disposable nappies use 3.5 times as much energy, 8
times as much non-renewable raw materials and 90 times as much renewable material as reusable nappies. They produce 2.3 times
as much waste water and 60 times as much solid waste. This even allows for the washing of cloth nappies! They require between
4 and 30 times as much land for growing natural materials as reusable nappies.
Contacts
The Leicestershire Real Nappy Network is a group of local parents who use cloth nappies on their own children and are a
source of advice for other parents in the area. They can also supply a list of washable nappies and will deliver to your
door. They can offer demonstrations for groups or individuals interested in finding out more. Contact them on 07762 751326.
Email zoe_leicsrnn@hotmail.com . There are a wide range of real nappy businesses
in the UK and below is a list of the most informative.
UK Nappy Helpline 01983 401959 open 9am to 9pm, seven days a week including bank holidays.
Charnwood Real Nappy Network
We aim to offer impartial help and advice to parents, Health & Childcare professionals and Wast Management departments
in Charnwood regarding the benefits of using cloth nappies.
We (the Charnwood Real Nappy team) all use or have used real nappies on our own children so we can give lots of advice
or experience if needed.
Our contact details are as follows:
- Nappy Hopper Washing Service covers the whole of Leicestershire - Tel. 01522 684495
- Nature Babies covers the Charnwood area - Tel. 01509 621065
Both services supply nappies for washing at home too.
In addition
High street stores stocking real nappies:-
- Mothercare
- Babies 'R' Us
- Tesco's, Boots, Waitrose
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