REUSABLE NAPPY WEEK – ONE CHANGE BIG DIFFERENCE!
Reusable Nappy Week 2024 aims to raise awareness about the benefits of reusable nappies. The week of action will advocate the positive impact reusable nappies can have on the environment and for cost-savings.
Disposable nappies contribute significantly to the waste and climate crisis in the UK, with an estimated 3.6 billion nappies being thrown away in the UK each year, costing Local Authorities over £140 million per annum for collection and disposal. By choosing to use reusable nappies, parents and carers can reduce their carbon footprint making a positive impact on the environment.
PLANET VS PLASTICS
The spotlight for Earth Day this year, ‘Planet Vs Plastics,’ sends a clear message: opting for reusable nappies is a win-win for the environment, your child’s growth, well-being, and your finances. This resonates perfectly with the theme of Reusable Nappy Week 2024 – ‘One Change Big Difference!’
Did you know disposable nappies can contain nearly 10g of plastic each? That adds up to a massive waste and climate crisis in the UK, with about 3.6 billion disposable nappies tossed annually, costing Local Authorities a whopping £140 million a year for collection and disposal.
According to the Nappy Life Cycle Analysis by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra March 2023), reusable nappies trump single-use ones for the environment. They’ve got a 25% lower carbon footprint across their lifecycle. If every UK baby in nappies made the switch, we’d save the equivalent of 700 million car miles in carbon emissions!
EDUCATION
A quarter of kids starting school in England and Wales aren’t toilet-trained? That’s impacting their learning time, with teachers spending an average of 2.5 hours a day dealing with nappy changes. Reusable nappies come with a bonus: the fabric soaks and holds the fluids helping your baby make the connection between urinating and feeling some wetness. This gives your baby the sensation to experiment with holding and releasing their bladders, making potty training that bit easier!
SAVINGS
And the savings? Using reusable nappies can save you around £195 a year! Plus, if you’re in London, many councils offer vouchers up to £70 through the Real Nappies for London scheme. Check if your council’s on board and contact Real Nappies for London for more advice.
NAPPY VOUCHER SCHEME
Real Nappies for London, a waste prevention project administered by Wen (Women’s Environmental Network), runs a reusable nappy voucher scheme offering parents and foster carers with a baby under 18 months, and expecting a baby, with a reusable nappy voucher worth up to £70 which is redeemable for a pack of reusable nappies or towards a trial washable nappy laundry service. The scheme currently operates in nine London Boroughs – Bexley, Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Waltham Forest and Westminster City Council.
Find out how to get involved with Reusable Nappy Week here
Find out more about Real Nappies for London and our Green Baby project.
