115 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of the real nappy campaign.

The campaign's annual focus - Real Nappy Week - is 7th to 13th April 2003.

Desmond Swayne MP for New Forest West called on others to support EDM 1318 'That this House notes that disposable nappies make up four percent of domestic waste in the United Kingdom, with three billion being thrown away each year; congratulates the Real Nappy Association on their excellent campaign to encourage families, nurseries and hospitals to switch to traditional cotton nappies; and welcomes the response to the campaign by local authorities and hospitals.'

'This EDM has attracted amazing support from across the political spectrum proving what an important issue it is. I therefore call upon the NHS and UK local authorities to build on their success in this field and encourage others to do the same,' said Desmond Swayne MP.

Real Nappy Week is jointly organised by the Real Nappy Association and Women's Environmental Network to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of nappies and inform parents about convenient shaped and fitted modern cloth nappies and nappy laundry services.

A full list of the open signatures to the EDM can be found below.

For further information contact Elizabeth Hartigan or Liz Sutton,
Women's Environmental Network, PO Box 30626, London E1 1TZ
Telephone: 020 7481 9004 or 0771 886 5009 Email nappies@wen.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

Early Day Motion
A resolution from a back bench MP to raise concerns or engender support for a subject of interest. The motion is supported by MPs' signatures.

Early Day Motion 1318 REAL NAPPIES Total 115 signatures

Waste Reduction
Nearly 3 billion nappies are thrown away every year in the UK. Nappies make up 50% of the waste from a household with just one baby so families can cut their waste in half by using real nappies. With the cost to each local authority in hundreds of thousands of pounds per year on disposal (Bristol City, for example, spends £500,000 per year) it is not surprising that nappy schemes now play a key role in local authorities' waste strategies.

Cost
You can kit out your baby in real nappies on the high street for under £60. This includes all the nappies and waterproof covers you will need for the whole of your baby's nappy wearing life. The same amount of money will only buy your baby's first seven to eight weeks of disposables. Even taking into account the total cost of laundering nappies at home, the savings are still considerable.

Health
Why put your baby's bottom in a chemical environment when you could choose a natural product? Disposable nappies are made of superabsorbent chemicals, paper pulp and plastics while real nappies put natural fabrics next to your baby's skin. If you want the best solution, free of pesticides and other synthetic chemicals, organic cotton and hemp nappies and organic wool waterproof overpants are available at reasonable cost.

Useful contacts:
The Real Nappy Association,
PO Box 3704, London SE26 4RX. www.realnappy.com Tel: 020 8299 4519
Provides information on where to obtain cloth nappies. Send a large SAE with two stamps on it for a FREE parents' information pack.

National Association of Nappy Services (NANS),
Tel: 0121 693 4949 www.changeanappy.co.uk
NANS members offer local delivery and collection of freshly laundered cotton nappies for parents, childminders, nurseries and hospitals. Also suitable for adult incontinence.

The Real Nappy Project,
Women's Environmental Network, PO Box 30626, London E1 1TZ. Tel: 020 7481 9004
e-mail: nappies@wen.org.uk