Eco Nappies
Should nappies cost the earth?
Parents of young babies are the most eco friendly consumers. They want to protect their babies and the environment too. With a new baby, parents need a helping hand to do the eco friendly thing. The average child uses up to 5,000 nappies on his/her way to being potty trained. These nappies end up in the local landfill where they can take up to 500 years to decompose. Disposable nappies contain paper pulp, plastics, absorbent gel granules, and chemical additives, which have a negative impact on the environment.
- One baby needs approximately 4,500 changes in 30 months!
- 220 million disposable nappies are thrown away in Ireland every year!
- Disposable nappies cost upwards of €1,250 from birth to potty!
- One baby’s disposable nappies make up 50% of your bin and 2.5 tonnes of waste in 2 years!
So what are the alternatives?
Wide varieties of re-useable nappies, as well as more environmentally friendly disposable nappies are now available in Ireland. Re-useable nappies are kinder to the environment. Also because cotton is breathable heat is allowed to escape, keeping baby cool and comfortable. Although there is an initial outlay when you begin to use cotton nappies, even the most expensive cloth nappy, combined with washing costs, is unlikely to cost more than €500 to €600 and can be used again for the next baby.
What type of re-useable nappy should I buy?
Whether buying reusable or disposable nappies, choose those with reduced impacts on the environment, i.e. those with recycled, chlorine free, unbleached or organic raw materials or pulp from sustainably managed forests, with minimum addition of chemicals. By using re-useable nappies even some of the time you are helping the environment.
Expelling the Myths and Explaining the Facts
Myth: You will need to spend your time washing, scrubbing and soaking soiled nappies.
Fact: Modern reusable nappies can be shaped, fitted and fastened easily with velcro, poppers or ties. They can be used with waterproof pants that keep the nappy in place. They are machine washable.
Myth: Washing nappies uses more energy and water, therefore making disposable a more environmentally friendly option.
Fact: From manufacture to use, disposable nappies use 3. 5 times as much energy, 8 times as much non-renewable raw materials and 90 times as much renewable material as re-useable nappies. They produce 2.3 times as much wastewater and 60 times as much solid waste.
For further information, please contact any of the following companies who will be able to answer your specific queries.
Ecoware Ltd
11 Synge Place,
Dublin 8.
Phone: 01 454 6035 086 851 8001.
Email:ecoware@ireland.com
Website: www.ecoware.ie
The Baby Orchard
Hidden Orchard,
Innishannon,
Co Cork.
Phone: 1890 25 22 65 / 021 4776197
E-mail: info@thebabyorchard.com
Website: www.thebabyorchard.com
The Natural Baby Resource
Co Maebh Collins,
Ardcullen,
Omeath,
Co Louth.
Phone: 048 4177 2477
Email: info@thenaturalbabyresource.co.uk
Website: www.thenaturalbabyresource.com
Cotton Baby
109 Ardluain Green,
Mullingar,
Co Westmeath.
Phone: 044 45372 / 086-8839237
Email: info@cottonbaby.net
Website: www.cottonbaby.net
Eco Baby Ltd
44 Park West Enterprise Ctr,
Nangor Road,
Dublin 12.
Phone: 1850
525253
Email: info@ecobaby.ie
Website: www.ecobaby.ie
Deirdre Cox
Environmental Awareness Officer,
North Tipperary County Council
Phone: (067) 44784
Email: dcox@northtippcoco.ie
Website: www.tipperarynorth.ie
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