NHS maternity services are promoting disposable nappies by default, undermining the Government’s waste strategy and denying parents a fair choice. Defra (The Department of the Environment) has a target of converting 155,000 households to real nappy use by April 2006, as part of its efforts to reduce household waste ^[1]. Yet in most hospitals, parents have little or no access to information and education about real nappies.

In a report, Nappies and the NHS – waste prevention and a fair choice for parents, to be published in Real Nappy Week on 29th March, WEN recommends ways in which the Department of Health and the NHS can end this contradiction. Where parents are given a fair choice, nappy waste is reduced and parents, health services and local councils all make savings, concludes the report. And it points to many good examples of real nappy education and use in NHS hospitals: at least 23 hospitals around the UK are using cloth nappies on maternity wards.

Ann Link, Coordinator of WEN said, “In the majority of maternity hospitals throughout the UK, disposable nappies are the only nappies demonstrated in ante-natal classes, given out free in Bounty and other freebie packs and in use on maternity wards. As the first point of contact for expectant parents, the NHS plays a highly influential role in the choices made by new parents. Informed choice is encouraged in healthcare and should extend to offering parents an informed choice of nappies. A few paragraphs about ‘terries’ in Department of Health babycare publications are not enough to balance the insidious promotion of disposable nappies in the NHS.”

Exclusivity clauses in contracts between the NHS and Bounty (and other similar schemes) place further restrictions on parents’ access to fair information. A gift pack promoting cloth nappies and other ‘alternative’ products has been prevented from being distributed alongside Bounty in hospitals.

Disposable nappies add to NHS costs. WEN estimates that disposing of nappy waste is costing the NHS about 88p per baby - roughly equivalent to profits from the Bounty Bag system. Hospitals can reduce these costs through the use of real nappies on-ward.

Information on real nappies is gradually being made more available in the NHS due to the commitment of health professionals, campaign groups and local authorities. 7% of UK maternity units now use cloth nappies. An NHS policy encouraging fair information and education is needed to help other trusts to catch up and support Defra in their efforts to reduce household waste.

Nappies and the NHS – waste prevention and a fair choice for parents is available here (150k pdf)

For media information contact Elizabeth Hartigan or Liz Sutton, Women’s Environmental Network, Tel: 020 7481 9004 Email: bibahartigan@aol.com Website: www.wen.org.uk/rnw

NOTES TO EDITORS

1 Waste
The real nappy campaign and home composting have been chosen to lead the government’s new waste reduction strategy (May 2003). A target to convert an additional 155,000 households to real nappy use by April 2006 is contained in the waste minimisation programme being implemented on behalf of Defra by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). www.wrap.org.uk

Women’s Environmental Network is a registered charity which campaigns on issues which link women, health and the environment. Always inclined to break new ground, WEN initiated the Waste Minimisation Act which was passed in 1998.

Real Nappy Week 29th March to 4th April 2004 is the annual focus of the real nappy campaign. In addition to the national campaign, local activities are organised all over the UK to mark the Week and raise awareness of the benefits of cloth nappies both to consumers and the environment. To find out what’s on in your area click here.

Support
Real Nappy Week is supported by over three quarters (350+) of UK local authorities, 108 MPs and many other organisations. www.wen.org.uk/rnw for full details.

Cost
Home laundered nappies could save parents £500 on the cost of keeping a baby in nappies. You can kit out your baby in real nappies on the high street for under £70. The same amount of money will only buy ten to twelve weeks of disposables. Even taking into account the total cost of laundering nappies at home (about £50 a year) the savings are still considerable.

Use
Women’s Environmental Network estimates that about 15% of parents now use real nappies.

Public Contact Details
UK Nappy Line - 01983 401959 gives callers details of their local cloth nappy contacts whether they want to buy them to wash at home or use a laundry service. With over 1,200 retail outlets in the UK and more than 75 local nappy sellers along with numerous laundry services and mail order companies, it has never been easier to find and use cloth nappies.
www.wen.org.uk for online cloth nappy information and supplier contacts.

More information on Real Nappy Week is available on www.wen.org.uk/rnw