BLOG | Nappy Alliance

It’s time for change! We’ve launched a petition to stop the nappy waste crisis.

Jun 27, 2023 | BLOG

Our member Bambino Mio writes about their newly-launched petition.

The majority of parents and parents-to-be believe that climate change poses a threat to their children’s future with 86% of parents saying the government needs to do more to reduce nappy waste. It is a well know fact that single-use plastics are directly linked to climate change as they are produced using fossil fuels, through a process that emits huge amounts of greenhouse gases. Single-use plastics are one of the worst pollutants on our planet as they continue to create greenhouse gas emissions long after they have been discarded – which for single-use nappies is around 500 years!

SIGN OUR PETITION

Disposable nappies are a single-use plastic!

Every day in the UK 10 million single-use plastic nappies are incinerated or end up in landfill. That’s a staggering 250 million every day around the world! One of the most environmentally friendly things we can do is reuse the things we buy. Reusable nappies are the answer to the nappy waste crisis, but parents and caregivers need support to make the transition.

It’s time to trigger a national conversation about how the nappy waste crisis is a crucial part of the reduction of single-use plastic and fight against climate change.

Babies demand to be heard

On Monday 26th June, we took a bunch of little revolutionaries to Parliament Square, London, in a protest to raise awareness of the devastating impact of single-use nappies. Sporting babygrows and trailblazing tees with protest slogans including ‘My nappy’s rubbish’, ‘Our future’s not disposable’, and ‘It’s my planet and I’ll cry if I want to’ – Bambassadors™ as young as four months took a stand against the environmental devastation caused by single-use nappies, demanding immediate change to protect their futures.

It’s time for change

We’re ready to fight the problem head-on, to draw attention to this huge issue, increase public awareness and put pressure on decision-makers to address the problem. We’re fighting on behalf of those who can’t yet speak up for themselves, and we have started a petition calling on the government to urgently take action.

The Petition

It’s time for change and the government needs to make the nappy waste crisis a priority. We have listened to the concerns of parents across the country and are taking the lead with this conversation by launching a petition, calling for the Government to create a national strategy to reduce nappy waste in line with other single-use plastic targets.

Sign the petition to show your support and tell the Government that we need a national strategy to reduce nappy waste NOW!

SIGN OUR PETITION

Change Starts Here: Reusable Nappy Week, 24th – 30th April 2023

May 5, 2023 | BLOG

Reusable Nappies – Save Money and Reduce Single-Use Plastic

Reusable Nappy Week, taking place from 24^th – 30^th April 2023, aims to raise awareness about the benefits of reusable nappies. The week will include events, special offers and fun educational activities which will be held across London and online.

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 and cost-savings.

A new report published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra March 2023) confirmed that reusable nappies are better for the environment than single-use disposable nappies. The Nappy Life Cycle Analysis revealed that across their lifecycle, reusable nappies have a 25% lower carbon footprint than single-use nappies. A figure that can be improved even further depending on how parents decide to wash and dry the products and the use of renewable electricity.

With the cost-of-living crisis affecting many across the UK, this year’s campaign ‘Cloth Your Way’ will showcase sustainable and cost-effective nappy solutions, which will focus on the following:

Environmental Impact: Raising awareness of the environment impact of disposable nappies and the benefits of using reusable nappies.
Financial Benefits: highlighting the cost savings that can be achieved by using reusable nappies, which can save parents hundreds of pounds over the course of their baby’s nappy-wearing years.
Nappy Options: Providing information and resources to parents and carers to help them make informed choices about nappy options. Whether using reusable nappies part-time or full-time, there are significant savings to be made.
Myth-busting: Dispelling common myths and misconceptions about using reusable nappies.

During Reusable Nappy Week 2023, there will be many events and activities planned, including educational events; offers and hires from participating retailers and cloth nappy libraries; online workshops and social media conversations with Reusable Nappy Ambassadors providing educational content to help more people learn about reusable nappies.

Across the UK there are national Reusable Nappy Incentive Schemes funded by Local Councils or retailers to make reusable nappies more accessible. Voucher incentives in some areas of the UK go up to £100, providing the means to purchase a full set of reusable nappies at a reduced cost, saving households with a baby in nappies up to £324 per year. These savings can be doubled if the nappies are continued to be used on subsequent children. The UK Nappy Network, made up of cloth nappy libraries, also provide opportunities for parents and carers to hire reusable nappies on a weekly basis at low-cost and receive impartial advice and support.

Katy Clee, representative of the UK Reusable Nappy Week Steering Committee says, “Reusable Nappy Week is a chance to come together and unify around a common goal. Whether you’re just interested, completely new to cloth, someone who has been using them for several years, a dedicated and passionate librarian, a council or organisation invested in promoting them, a manufacturer or a retailer; this week is for all. Share your stories, tips, tricks and general love of all things cloth nappies. Let’s make RNW23 the best one yet!”

Elisabeth Whitebread from the Nappy Alliance said, “There’s now no doubt about it, reusable nappies not only create less waste, they also create fewer carbon emissions than single-use nappies. If every baby in the UK switched to reusable nappies, the carbon saving would be the equivalent of 700 million car miles – that’s 3,000 trips to the moon! It’s now up to the government to deliver a plan to help parents and caregivers make the switch- and what better time to announce a plan for net zero nappies than Reusable Nappy Week?”

To find out more and how to get involved, visit the Reusable Nappy Week website and

follow #ReusableNappyWeek on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GREAT NAPPY DEBATE

May 4, 2023 | BLOG

It’s official – New Defra LCA report confirms reusable nappies are best for the environment.

Reusable nappies produce 25% less CO2 than single-use disposable nappies
Based on the figures in the report, if every child in the UK in nappies used reusable nappies instead of single-use disposable nappies it would save the equivalent of 700 million car miles of CO2 – that’s nearly 3000 journeys to the moon in a car!
The environmental impact of production was over 90% lower for a reusable nappy than for single-use
The environmental impact of the end of life disposal of a single-use nappy is nine times higher than for that of a reusable nappy
The LCA report shows that even when factoring in washing and drying, reusable nappies are still the best nappy choice for the environment

This week, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report focusing on the environmental impact of single-use disposable nappies and reusable nappies in the UK.

The technical data concludes that reusable nappies are significantly better for the environment than single-use nappies, which have a higher carbon footprint.

Guy Schanschieff, Chair of the Nappy Alliance & Founder of Bambino Mio commented:

“Many thanks to Defra for commissioning this report which shows, as we’ve always known, that reusable nappies are better for the environment than single-use. Now that the government knows this too, what are they waiting for? It’s time for a national strategy on nappy waste and for policies to be put into place to support reusable nappies to create a better world for future generations.

For too long, the damaging effects of single-use nappies have been overlooked, despite them being a significant contributor to plastic waste in the UK and globally. Recognising this, other countries are taking legislative steps to address their impact. The UK, often considered a leader in the global fight against plastic pollution, seriously risks falling behind its international counterparts if it doesn’t choose to act urgently on single-use nappies to support carbon reduction targets.”

The new report is extremely positive for the reusable nappy industry and a beacon of hope for the planet, as the results clearly prove that if more parents use reusable nappies instead of single-use nappies the carbon impact on our environment would be heavily reduced.

Today’s LCA has assessed modern reusable nappies which come in a range of styles and are as easy to use as single-use nappies. Reusable nappies can save parents hundreds of pounds and use 99% less raw materials than single-use nappies so, they save our environment too.

Dr Charlotte Lloyd, Lecturer and Research Fellow in Environmental Chemistry commented:

“It is great to see this updated LCA published by Defra, hopefully it will give parents the up-to-date information that has been lacking to help them make an informed choice about nappies for their children. Single-use nappies can be a source of nutrient, chemical and plastic pollution in the environment and with every child using around 7,000 nappies in their lifetime the switch to reusable products would dramatically reduce the impact.”

The majority of the environmental impact for single-use nappies comes from the production and end of life stages, which are not within the control of consumers. Whereas when using reusable nappies, the power to reduce carbon footprint even further (25%) is in the hands of the consumer via a variety of simple techniques, including:

Re-loving nappies – extending the lifecycle of nappies by using nappies on multiple children, gifting to family and friends, donating or reselling for others to buy second hand
Opting for green energy – renewable sources such as solar panels
Mindful washing routine – wash on lower temperatures, wash with other items and air dry instead of using a tumble dryer

Continues Schanschieff:

“There is a lot of greenwashing in the disposable nappy industry, including so called ‘eco-disposables’ which are still bad for the environment and false hopes around single-use nappy recycling pilot schemes which don’t really work, they aren’t a solution and they actually increase CO2.

We need the government to ensure they support promotion of reusable nappies because they are the clear solution to the problem of single-use nappy waste and will heavily reduce carbon emissions – just imagine the positive impact on our planet if people no longer used disposable nappies.”

The Nappy Alliance is asking the government to:

Produce a National Nappy Waste strategy, with the objective of reducing single-use nappies in landfill or incineration to an absolute minimum.
Use the powers of the Competition and Markets Authority and Advertising Standards Agency to prevent misleading green claims from single-use manufacturers and nappy recycling companies.
Use the powers contained in the Environment Act 2021 to bring about the positive environmental change we need.

It’s time to change nappies for good, to ensure we leave a thriving world for future generations. Further details on the findings of the LCA can be found in the final report and the summary report here.

Cost of Living Crisis – Are Reusable Wipes Worth It?

Sep 14, 2022 | BLOG

Guest Blog by Helen Rankin

Helen Rankin, Founder – Cheeky Wipes

As the founder of Cheeky Wipes, I am often asked if reusable wipes are worth it. The answer is obviously yes!

Costs of disposables wipes have soared- this was a local “Big Six” supermarket over the summer showing the cost for just a single pack of branded wipes

Swapping to reusable wipes could save the average family up to £30 a month for several years. Disposable wipes add between £5 and £10 (based on ‘premium’ branded wipes) to family shopping baskets weekly. Switching to reusable wipes isn’t just better for our planet but with prices starting from around £18 for a pack of 25 wipes, they can save hundreds of pounds whilst your child is in nappies – and beyond!

As members of the Nappy Alliance, we understand that the cost of living has increased dramatically over recent months, both here in the UK and globally too. Food banks are reporting that families are spending £30 a month on disposable baby wipes, leaving them without money to feed their families.

Experts assume that children will be in nappies for around 2.5 years. Depending on whether they buy branded or non-branded disposable wipes, this could amount to £258.96 annually, or £647.40 for just one child.

We estimate that the average family will use 260 packs of disposable baby wipes over 2.5 years, if they’re buying two packs of wipes per week. They could use a LOT more if they continue using them as hands and faces wipes too.

Shrinkflation is affecting parents who buy wipes too – this is when manufacturers keep the cost of a product the same, but reduce the amount / weight that consumers receive. We’ve seen this with disposable wipes manufacturers steadily reducing the number of packs of wipes per packet. A year ago, the regular amount of wipes per pack was 72. Now due to shrinkflation, the standard amount is 56, or 60 if you’re lucky, a 20% decrease. It’s a sneaky trick because often consumers see that the price is staying the same, not realising that per wipe, the costs have effectively increased by 20%.

Switch to reusables to save

The ‘average’ UK family could potentially save between £300 and £600 by switching to reusable wipes. Reusable wipes cost around £25 for 25 reusable wipes, to £50 for a reusable baby wipes kit which contains everything you need to make switching to reusable wipes easy.

Many families are worried about energy costs at the moment, and are worried there could be more costs associated with washing, but this can be very low depending on the size and energy efficiency rating of your washing machine. Reusable wipes don’t need a separate wash though, and annually, washing costs are just £5. That’s based on the following assumptions:

25 wipes weighing 250g washed every other day as part of a full 7kg washload
Number of additional washloads annually is 6
Electricity costs (October 2022) of 34p per kw, cost from 26p per load for a ’D’-rated washing machine, to 15p per load for an ‘A’ rated washing machine, average 20p
Cost of washing powder (persil) is 15p per washload
Total cost of washing reusable wipes is approximately 35p per additional load, so £2.10 per annum

Drying 25 reusable wipes are part of a full drying load (7kg – 9kg) every other day for a year will cost an incremental £6 per annum. The cost of drying reusable wipes varies, depending on how you dry them. If you only tumble dry your washing, then the cost of drying one 9kg load of drying will vary from 60p for a heat pump dryer to £1.50 for a vented tumble dryer, average £1.10

Reusable wipes are easy to care for and can be washed alongside other laundry including reusable nappies

Because the wipes only make up a small percentage of this load, this equates to just an additional £6 approximately over the course of a year.

It’s worth noting that very few families use their tumble dryer year round. Many people line or air dry if possible, so this amount could well be reduced by half, to just £3 per annum.

If a family uses two packs of disposable wipes per week, a comparable amount of reusable wipes would be 50 wipes, priced from around £37. Generally a nappy change will require fewer reusable wipes than disposable wipes, as reusables tend to be grippier and make nappy changing quicker and easier.

Not just the cost savings!

Disposable wet wipes have a massive impact on our environment. If flushed, they pollute our rivers and waterways, creating giant stinking fatbergs and actually disrupting the course of the Thames. MP Fleur Anderson has been vocal in asking for wet wipes containing plastic to be banned.

Biodegradable and ‘flushable’ wipes are kinder to the environment however they still can take up to 12 weeks to decompose. And that’s in prime ‘composting’ conditions, not in landfill in a plastic nappy sack!

Obviously reusable wipes are the BEST plastic free wipes and as they can be washed and reused are a much more eco friendly option.

Reusable Nappy Week 2022 – How You Can Get Involved

Apr 29, 2022 | BLOG

This week marks Reusable Nappy Week in the UK and further afield. Brands, NGOs, nappy libraries and enthusiasts will be taking advantage of the event to promote the benefits of reusable nappies to parents.

This year, The Nappy Alliance has chosen to focus on the most pressing issue of the moment: the cost of living crisis.

44.3% of parents who responded to The Nappy Gurus’ ‘’Great Big Nappy Census’’ in 2021 said that the upfront cost of reusable nappies was the biggest factor in reluctance to use reusables.

We know that in the long run families will save money using reusables, as the total cost is hundreds of pounds less than using the market leading brand of disposables, but many families will struggle to find the cash to buy reusable nappies in one go.

Reusable Nappy Week is a great opportunity for parents to grab a bargain from the many promotion events run by brands, but parents still need year-round help to afford reusable nappies.

The cost of single use nappies is not only felt by parents – local authorities also shoulder the disposal costs of the 5000 -7000 nappies per child that will be used before potty training.

Hampshire Council recently measured that 5.7% of all household waste is made up of single use nappies.

This equates to a UK-wide figure of 1.5 million tonnes of single use nappies being thrown away every year and, as the UK runs out of landfill space, nappies are increasingly being incinerated, releasing carbon and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.

More and more local authorities are promoting the use of reusable nappies, but in a recent Nappy Alliance survey 58% of parents who responded said they don’t have access to a local reusable nappy incentive scheme.

Incentive schemes can help local authorities encourage more parents to try reusables – the best and most successful schemes don’t just provide financial help, but include expert advice and support. This can be provided by dedicated staff members, or is often provided by volunteers or partner nappy libraries.

As local authorities throughout the country make climate emergency declarations and net zero commitments, we wanted to educate and inform councillors and council officers about the benefits that promotion of reusables can bring, to this end The Nappy Alliance will be hosting a free webinar on Friday 20th May from 2pm-3pm.

We have been contacted by many parents who want to know how to convince their local authority to introduce a scheme, and Reusable Nappy Week is a great time to get active and to contact your local representatives to make sure they know how important this issue is.

The event will feature speakers including Guy Schanschieff, Chair of the Nappy Alliance and founder of the UK’s largest reusable nappy company- Bambino Mio, Gloucestershire Real Nappy Project and one of the UK’s Nappy Libraries.

To help parents encourage their representatives to attend, we’ve produced this template for writing to your local councillors to invite them to this event.

Remember to personalise your email with your own experiences with reusable nappies, and do include your name and address!

FAQ

Q) Why do I need to contact my councillor myself?

A )There are over 20,000 local authority councillors in the UK! The Nappy Alliance regularly writes to elected representatives at all levels but we find that councillors and members of parliament respond much more enthusiastically to the people who they represent.
Including details of your own experiences and feelings about the issue will make councillors much more likely to attend the event and deliver a reusable nappy scheme for your area!

Q)Can I write to my MP as well?

A)Yes please! MPs and their staff are more than welcome to attend the webinar, but we would also be happy to provide a briefing for your MP in person if they are interested in the topic of reusable nappies.

Q)My councillor can’t make that date but is still interested in promoting reusable nappies. Is there another date?

A)If your councillor is interested in the issue we will be recording the webinar but we will also be pleased to give any councillors who can’t make the 20th May a separate briefing. They can arrange this by contacting info@nappyalliance.co.uk

Q) My council already has a scheme – can they still attend?

A) Yes! We believe that there are ways to improve even existing schemes. They will most likely still be able to get good information from our expert speakers.

Q) How do I contact my local councillor/s?

A) You can use this link to find your local councillors and their contact details. Don’t forget- there are elections in some local authorities on 5th May so your councillors may change after this date.

The Nappy Alliance announces even more new members!

Apr 6, 2022 | BLOG

We’re delighted to announce that even more new members have joined the Nappy Alliance – the biggest intake of new members in a single month since the Alliance was formed in 2003.

Reusable brands Cheeky Wipes, TJ’s Cloth Nappies, The Flats Company and The Washable Nappy Company are all joining us to campaign for the wider adoption of reusable nappies by parents and institutions.

Founder and Chair of the Nappy Alliance Guy Schanschieff said:

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to welcome so many new members to the Alliance. Many of our member brands do great work on their own to highlight the problems caused by single-use and the benefits of reusables, but we are stronger together as an industry.

Nappy waste is high on the Government’s agenda and we need to ensure that the solutions they propose work for parents and the planet. Representing all areas of the industry from larger exporting businesses to sole traders means we’re a voice for everyone who wants to tackle nappy waste.”

Around 3.6 billion nappies per year go to landfill or incineration in the UK, along with single-use wipes and nappy sacks that amount to around 900kg of waste per child whilst they are in nappies.

Cheeky Wipes founder Helen Rankin said:

“Having my first child 17 years ago brought home to me the importance of protecting our environment which is why I launched Cheeky Wipes and our best-selling Reusable Wipes kit back in 2008. We added Cheeky DooDoo reusable nappies to our range of ‘Simple Reusables’ last year which have been a hit with parents. We are really looking forward to being part of the Nappy Alliance to promote reusables as the easy alternative to disposable wipes and nappies which create literally mountains of unnecessary waste.”

The Government is expected to publish an updated Life Cycle Assessment later this Spring, which will revise calculations of the environmental impacts of both reusable and disposable nappies.

Guy Schanschieff commented:

“We’re expecting to see an improved result for reusables in the new Life Cycle Assessment– washing machines are more efficient and the UK uses much more renewable energy than at the time of the last study, whilst the amount of disposable nappies being incinerated has increased. There has never been a more important time for the industry to have a strong and unified voice for reusables, which we believe are a more environmentally conscious choice.”

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