Reuseable Nappies

The average child uses about 5,000 nappies, resulting in an average of 2,000 tonnes of nappy waste being buried in the ground in Suffolk every year. Why use real nappies? Real nappies have many advantages over disposables. One of the most important is cost. On average, a family using disposable nappies will spend more than a family using real nappies with a laundry service, and considerably more than a family using real nappies with home washing. If reusable nappies are used on a second and subsequent children, the expense will be further reduced. Savings from using real nappies over the time that a first child is in nappies can amount to £600. The cost of using disposable nappies will not decrease with each subsequent child, unlike real nappies. Research suggests that babies using real nappies are potty trained quicker, which helps reduce costs further. There is a huge range of modern real nappies available. The modern designs are slightly more expensive to use than the traditional towelling nappies but still much cheaper than disposables in the long run. The wider community also benefits: For each baby using real nappies in Suffolk, a cost saving could be made by Suffolk Councils through reduced refuse collection and disposal costs. What are the environmental disadvantages of disposable nappies? 8 million disposable nappies are thrown away every day in the UK, but we pay a high price for this convenience. Each year in the UK, a million tonnes of disposable nappies (of which 75% is raw human sewage) end up in landfill sites at a cost to the nation of £40 million. It would be far better for this sewage to follow the proper wastewater pathway and be treated in sewage works, which is what happens with real nappies. Landfill is not a fit place for raw human sewage and the disposal of nappies in this way has environmental costs - landfill sites produce methane and other gases that contribute to global warming. In addition, the component parts of disposable nappies can take 500 years to decompose. Suffolk Real Nappy Network (SRNN) The Suffolk Real Nappy Network (SRNN) provide free independent advice on using real nappies and a wide range of services, including trial kits, a nappy exchange programme and help with the cost of purchasing nappies through a partnershp with the Ipswich & Suffolk Credit Union . You can contact SRNN on 0870 005 3985 visit the shop at Westgate House, Museum Street, Ipswich, IP1 1HQ or visit the Suffolk Real Nappy Network website. Councils in Suffolk support the work of the Suffolk Real Nappy Network in promoting real alternatives to disposable nappies in Suffolk. Information is offered to support parents buying reusable nappies to wash at home or using a nappy laundering service. The Suffolk Real Nappy Network and Suffolk County Council have produced The Real Nappy Guide, which gives comprehensive advise and guidance on all aspects of reuseable nappies.