The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has published a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) focusing on the impact of single-use disposable nappies and reusable nappies in the UK.
The technical data from the report concludes that reusable nappies are significantly better for the environment than single-use nappies, which have a higher carbon footprint.
The report showed that reusable nappies produce 25% less CO2 than disposables. Based on the figures in the report, if every child in the UK in nappies used reusable instead of disposable nappies, it would save the equivalent of 700 million car miles in CO2.
Reusable nappies were also shown to be 90% lower than single-use in their environmental impact and that even when factoring in washing and drying, reusable nappies are still the best choice for the environment.
Guy Schanschieff, chair of the Nappy Alliance and 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 adn 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.”
