Cloth Nappies Versus Disposables

Babies account for a small percentage of family body mass, but when kitted out with disposable nappies they can easily generate half the contents of a household's bins. A typical baby gets through around five thousand disposables during its nappy days; across the UK, this adds up to eight million per day and three billion each year. Most of these end up in landfill sites where, according to environmental groups, the plastic will take hundreds of years to break down, the super-absorbent granules will soak up groundwater needed for the decomposition of other waste, and the excrement and urine may pose an ecological hazard. Even if these worries are overcautious, as some commentators claim, nappies are energy- and resource-intensive to produce and therefore also expensive to buy. Parents spend an average of $700 per baby on disposables, according to Market Intelligence.

For all the above reasons, the green advice has usually been to opt for washable cloth nappies - which are also now promoted by local councils keen to cut down on landfill costs. However, a recent in-depth study from the Environment Agency has left many people wondering whether cloth nappies are worth the hassle. The report concluded that although a baby's worth of disposable nappies uses more oil than washables (93kg vs 28kg of crude), it leads to less CO2 emissions (437kg vs 507kg) and less water usage (34,000 liters vs 86,000 liters). The carbon footprint of reusable nappies was even higher if cleaned via a washing service.

These figures have been disputed, however. The Women's Environmental Network, long-standing proponents of washable nappies, point out that the study made various assumptions that wouldn't apply to most green-minded people.

In short, then, cloth nappies will always be better for landfill; whether they're better for climate change depends on how you use them.

Sanitary towels and tampons raise similar issues to nappies. An alternative popular with some environmentally conscious women is a product called Mooncup. Made from soft silicone rubber, it's a small cup that is worn internally and collects fluid without leakage or odour. It needs emptying less frequently than towels or tampons need replacing. Mooncups cost $18 but last for years and will start saving you money in around six months.