Information on Loughborough
News Index
2012
Feb 2012Jan 2012
2011
Dec 2011Nov 2011
Oct 2011
Sep 2011
Aug 2011
Jul 2011
Jun 2011
May 2011
Apr 2011
Mar 2011
Feb 2011
Jan 2011
2010
Dec 2010Nov 2010
Oct 2010
Sep 2010
Aug 2010
Jul 2010
Jun 2010
May 2010
Apr 2010
Mar 2010
Feb 2010
Jan 2010
2009
Dec 2009Nov 2009
Oct 2009
Sep 2009
Aug 2009
Jul 2009
Jun 2009
May 2009
Apr 2009
Mar 2009
Feb 2009
Jan 2009
2008
Dec 2008Nov 2008
Oct 2008
Sep 2008
Aug 2008
Jul 2008
Jun 2008
May 2008
Apr 2008
Mar 2008
Feb 2008
Jan 2008
2007
Dec 2007Nov 2007
Oct 2007
Sep 2007
Aug 2007
Jul 2007
Jun 2007
May 2007
County Council Says Stick With Real Nappies
Posted on 04/07/2007
P. Klein
Before you head out to the shops in Loughborough having read the national press about nappies there is one thing you should know - Leicestershire County Council is continuing to encourage the use of real nappies. This follows newspaper reports this week that ministers are claiming they are just as bad for the environment as disposables.
The newspaper reports refer to a research project which claimed that the impact of burying disposable nappies in landfill sites was matched by the energy consumed and greenhouse gases generated by washing reusables or transporting them to laundries.
The main environmental impact of disposables comes when you throw them away " and there is no other option for this type of nappy. For re-usable nappies, however, the impact is only in washing and drying and real nappy users can do something to minimise this impact.
The Council recommends several methods to lessen the impact that real nappy usage has on the environment, including drying nappies naturally, and washing at lower temperatures.
A County Council spokesperson said, The average family would do at least a couple of washes a week anyway, and many real nappy users put their nappies in with their normal wash, after a soak in a product like Napisan, so no extra washing cycles are created.
Washing machines must conform to stringent energy saving standards now, so even since the report was completed, technology has evolved and changes in the design of real nappies has improved their performance.
To find out more about Real Nappies visit www.leics.gov.uk/real_nappies.
Further Information:
The County Councils Top Ten Tips for further reducing the environmental impact of real nappies are:
1. Wash nappies at 60oC and wraps at 40oC " do not boil wash
2. Use A-rated appliances to reduce energy & water consumption
3. Minimise tumble drying " line dry or use an airer
4. Dont use fabric conditioner " it is unnecessary and it reduces absorbency
5. Use eco-friendly washing powders
6. Try potty training early around 2 yrs of age
7. Use real nappies for more than one child
8. Buy second hand nappies where possible
9. Use organic (non-bleached) products
10. Dont iron nappies
There are other benefits of using real nappies too:
• Most real nappies do not take hundreds of years to decompose in landfill sites, taking up valuable space and giving off methane gas as they rot.
• Real nappies can be cheaper to purchase than disposable nappies and the cost is even cheaper if nappies are used for more than one child. Home laundered nappies could save parents around £500 on the cost of keeping a baby in nappies. (Source: www.wen.org.uk) See http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/environment/waste/real_nappies/cash_back_scheme.htm for a cash back scheme.
• Real nappies dont contain the chemicals that disposable nappies do. Disposable nappies are made of super absorbent chemicals, paper pulp, plastics and adhesives, while real nappies are mostly made of natural fabrics. (For example see www.snazzypants.co.uk or www.eco-babes.co.uk)
The national picture:
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP - Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by Government funding from Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) continues to support the use of Real Nappies but intends to hand over the work on real nappies to other interested parties during the course of this financial year. One of the key aims of The Real Nappy Campaign was to raise awareness amongst parents of the viability of using real nappies " before handing over to partners, such as local councils to continue to promote. As a result of WRAPs Real Nappy Campaign (2004-2006), 23,000 tonnes of disposable nappies were successfully diverted away from landfill. Currently there is no new funding available for the Real Nappy Campaign by WRAP however, WRAP is currently working with a series of partners to maintain the momentum and take the campaign forward.