The hidden contents of nappies
Hanna Backman gets into the hot and smelly reusable vs disposable nappy debate.
In 2005, the Environment Agency put out the much contested report A Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the UK. The report stated that there wasn't much difference between disposable and reusable nappies. The agency later conceded the report was flawed and promised to put out a new report in May 2007, now apparently delayed until December.
Reusables have become
more sophisticated, and organically certified reusables are now more widely
available. "Gone are the days of soaking and boiling terries, folding and
pins. Technology has caught up here as everywhere and low temperature washes
of shaped nappies with poppers or Velcro in new, soft and absorbent fabrics
are the norm" says Kay Wagland, Real Nappy Project Officer at Women's Environmental
Network (WEN).
Ethical Consumer chose to research some of the largest brands of disposables
in the UK market and some so-called bio-disposables. The reusable nappies on
the table are some of the most widely available among the increasing number
of reusable nappy manufacturers. The report has not looked at nappy washing
services, but a good directory for these is available at www.realnappycampaign.com which also helps you find reusable nappy retailers in your area.
Washing wisely
WEN has found that parents can reduce climate change impacts when using reusable
nappies by 24 per cent more than the Environment Agency report concluded at
the time. This can be done by washing with an A-rated washing machine and washing
at 60oC rather than 90oC that the Agency assumed a third of parents did. WEN
also suggests that tumble drying and ironing - also included in the report -
should be avoided. Parents only need to use about 24 real nappies, rather than
the 47 that the report assumed. Additional ways to go green are by using organic
cotton, hemp or even bamboo nappies, and to use locally supplied nappies.(1) Buying
second-hand washable nappies is even better and WEN runs a national real nappy
exchange to support this.
90 per cent of the three billion nappies used in the UK every year are not
washable(2) so most end up in landfill. Conditions in landfill do not enable the
breakdown of even the biodegradable parts of nappies. In total the use of nappies
in the UK causes emissions equivalent to 98,600 cars each driven an average
12,000 miles every year.(3) In total, nappies form two to three per cent of household
waste annually.(4)
'Biodegradable' disposables
While many disposables are full of chemicals, such as non-biodegradable absorbent
gel (sodium polyacrylate), bleach, plastics and perfumes, this doesn't have
to be the case. Moltex-Oko are bleach and chlorine-free, but the only "biodegradable"
disposables in the UK market are Nature Babycare and Tushies. The outer layer
of Nature Babycare's products are made from GM-free natural maize film. Another
greener-than-average manufacturer of disposables is the Danish Abena Group which
only uses "natural and non-toxic" raw materials. Its Nordic Swan Labelled
nappy is, however, non-biodegradable.(5)
Kay Wagland at WEN points out that even if eco-disposables were 100 per cent
biodegradable they are not going to biodegrade if they end up in landfill: "Remember
that to compost a nappy it needs to be pulled apart first, and the average baby
produces about 40 a week. That's a very large and smelly compost heap! If people
are willing to go to such lengths to compost their nappies, why not use washables
instead?" She also points out that 'eco-disposables' are still largely
made up from virgin pulp rather than recycled materials.
Links
References
1 Women’s Environmental Network Media statement 4 July 2007
2
Keynote: Organic Baby & Toddler Care July 2007
3 www.abena.dk viewed
in August 2007
4 Keynote: Organic Baby & Toddler Care July 2007
5
Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the UK, Environment
Agency, 2005
6 ECRA company questionnaire August 2007
7 www.kushies.com
viewed in August 2007
8 Greenpeace US website (http://forestfriendly500.org)
viewed in August 2007.