In Southampton, babies up to the age of two, use up to 35,800 nappies per day. That makes about 13 million nappies a year, just in one city. Disposable nappies make up about 4% of our household waste and cost the Local Authority about £76,500 per year.
An alternative option is using modern, reuseable nappies. This does not have to mean staying at home washing nappies all day. It is possible to make use of a nappy laundry service, which collects the dirty nappies from your home and delivers clean ones at the same time. The average charge is £8 per week. There are currently two laundry services in Southampton.
What are the benefits of using reuseable nappies?
Putting you baby in reuseable nappies means that you are helping to reduce the amount of disposable nappies in our landfill sites.
Modern reuseable nappies are shaped and easy to use. There is no need to use pins, as they are fixed with Velcro tabs. They use biodegradable liners and come in different styles and sizes.
Cotton nappies are 100% cotton fibre, are breathable and contain no perfume, absorbent gels or residual dioxin.
Reuseable nappies are made to last, and can see you through two children and sometimes even more. Washing at 60°C gets them thoroughly clean!
How can I get involved?
There is a large selection of reuseable nappies to choose from. There is no 'best nappy'. They can be ordered from the following companies:
Cheeky Rascals: 01428 682 488
Cotton Bottoms: 0870 777 8899
Eco-babes: 01353 664 941
Green Baby: 020 7226 4345
Natural Collection: 01225 442 288
The Cotton Tail Company: 01273 478 595
Zorbit Babycare: 0800 074 3074
Copyright © Southampton City Council 2009
