Disposable nappies constitute 4.2% of household waste and require - hundreds
of years to break down in our diminishing landfills.
Sustainable Wales (SW) has embarked on a long-term project to promote the
use of modern cotton reusable nappies throughout Wales.
Main objectives include:
Reducing the 8 million tonnes of nappy waste sent to landfill in Wales
annually by educating parents about practical ways to reduce, reuse, recycle
- allowing parents to make and informed choice when choosing nappies.
Encouraging the development of local community businesses based around
nappy washing services.
Reducing the percentage of household budget that goes to the purchase of
disposable nappies.
Work to date:
Production of Dumping the Diaper Reusable Nappy Campaign Report
The document is a "Why and How to do it" guide for Wales, addressed
primarily for real nappy advocates, Local Authority staff, midwives / health
sector and community entrepreneurs with further contact details.
Dumping the Diaper Conference January 2000.
The successful UK conference held in Bridgend resulted in 6 new local
authority projects in Wales and over 30 in England. Sustainable Wales has
been seen as leading the way and subsequently has initiated many regional
conferences for Local Authority staff especially in England.
Provision of resources and health sector training programmes in 4 Local
Authority areas
The promotion of reusable cotton nappies needs to be incorporated into
routine maternity procedures.
Sustainable Wales has worked in 4 community areas in Wales and has:
Established a network of interest in health sector and local authority
areas.
Forged partnerships with key staff to encourage a shared interest in the
project.
Provided a training programme that has given sufficient instruction and
confidence to health professionals and others to proceed to move their
department from disposable to reusable nappies.
Produced 50,000 colourful bilingual awareness raising leaflets for the
community and each of the 4 areas received mobile nappy display materials.
Midwives were provided with the leaflets, which were distributed to the
mothers.
Real Nappy Week April 2000
Our involvement in Real Nappy Week raised awareness at the National Assembly
for Wales, Cardiff. Hosted by Carwyn Jones AM, this event was welcomed by
Assembly Secretaries for the Environment, Health and Education. Supporting
mums and babies attended the event. Recommendations were expressed for
national co-ordination of reusable nappy awareness in every heath trust/
local authority throughout Wales.
Community development work:
Opting for reusable nappies can help to alleviate poverty, with savings of
up to £600 per child when compared to disposable nappies. SW has recognised
the need to evaluate practical means for parents to purchase these nappies,
i.e. involving local credit unions and establishing community co-operatives
and new businesses where nappies can be bought easily and inexpensively.
Supporting Environmentally Friendly Business Development SW has encouraged
and helped the development of Gentle Touch nappy washing laundry service
based in Caerphilly but servicing an area as far as west as Neath, as far
north as Brecon, and as far south as Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
While recognised as a valuable, innovative new SME - the Gentle Touch
service has struggled due to lack of partnerships and poor financial
support. SW is currently helping to redevelop the laundry service into a
community co-operative with the support of the Wales Co-operative Centre.
Sustainable Wales and Gentle Touch Nappy Laundry Service are currently in
the process of setting up a Community Co-operative, called Sustainable Wales
Projects Ltd.
The first co-operative proposed is a nappy laundry service for South Wales
providing parents with a convenient laundry service, delivering and washing
nappies on a weekly basis. SW's nappy awareness raising campaign has
indicated that there is huge support for a local nappy laundry service from
parents who want a convenient, more environmentally friendly option to
disposable nappies.
This company is, and will remain to be, separate from the charity
Sustainable Wales. The only link will be that at the end of the financial
year, any surplus profits generated by Sustainable Wales Ltd will be donated
to the charity by deed of covenant.
This co-operative will hope to secure funding from Objective 1. Sustainable
Wales is also currently investigating grant packages for community
businesses and LA business support. This project has the full backing of
Local Agenda 21 Officers, South Wales health visitors, the Wales
Co-operative Movement and economic development units (and is considered by
many as a magnificent example of Sustainable Development.
Further information: Sustainable Wales, 1st Floor, 41 John St., Porthcawl
CF36 3AP
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This page was last updated on 11 August 2001 __________
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