Minister Michael Meacher cuts through a washing line to launch Real Nappy Week 2003.
Left to Right, Samantha Heath, Deputy Chair and Environment Spokesperson of the London Assembly, Gina Purrmann, Real Nappy Association with daughter Marie, Michael Meacher, Environment Secretary and Maeve Murphy, Women's Environmental Network launching 'Nappy Line' phone information service at the start of Real Nappy Week at City Hall.

Michael Meacher MP, Minister for the Environment, cut through a washing line of nappies to launch the seventh Real Nappy Week and the new phoneline - Nappy Line 01983 401959. The launch was hosted at City Hall by Samantha Heath, Deputy Leader of the Greater London Assembly.

Nappy Line - 01983 401959 gives callers details of their local cloth nappy suppliers and laundry services.

The minister expressed his support for the Real Nappy Week waste reduction campaign, "I pay tribute to Women's Environmental Network and the Real Nappy Association because of the way they've brought it to public attention. Fifteen percent [of parents] are now thought to use real nappies."

The minister stressed the seriousness of the nappy waste issue. "A reduction in landfill is critical. We produce 30 million tonnes of [municipal] waste a year, more than any other EU country. We have to reduce this by two thirds over 15 years. Landfill produces 25% of Britain's methane gas emissions and methane is a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO2 which nappies contribute to." Mr Meacher added: "My department says [nappy waste] is only two to four percent of landfill but that's deceptive because if you look at a family with just one baby, 50% of the bin is nappies."

Real Nappy Week, is jointly organised annually by Women's Environmental Network and the Real Nappy Association to focus attention on the environmental impact of nappies and inform parents about shaped and fitted modern cloth nappies and nappy laundry services.

The launch was held at the Real Nappy Collection, an exhibition of over 100 cloth nappies in the Visitor Centre, City Hall, London. "This is a rather special exhibition," said Michael Meacher. "It has extended my horizons. I had absolutely no idea of the range of [real] nappies that are available."

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

Real Nappy Week is supported by well over half (240+) the UK's local authorities. The government's strategy unit has recommended extending real nappy schemes to get almost a quarter of households (24%) with babies using real nappies over three years.

The new phoneline service, Nappy Line, has been set up in response to the increasing demand for real nappies. Women's Environmental Network estimates that about 15% of parents now use real nappies.

With over 1,200 retail outlets in the UK and 75 local nappy sellers along with numerous laundry services and mail order companies, it has never been easier to find and use cloth nappies.

The Real Nappy Collection which will be on show at the GLA is the largest of a series of nappy displays organised all over the UK during Real Nappy Week 2003 to highlight the choice that is available to parents. For full details of nappy displays and other local activity around the UK visit www.wen.org.uk.