In this article I have decided to get down and dirty with a product review of washable nappies. They have long been seen as the greenest way to go with regards to nappies, and it is claimed that they will save you money. I am going to relate my experiences with this product from having had two children. With the first child I used Mother-ease washable nappies, but with the second – due to time and work pressures – I used disposable nappies (shame on me!). This does, however, put me in a good position to compare the two different products. In this article I am going to look at the pros and cons of each type of nappy, looking at the day-to-day usage, costs, energy consumption and environmental impacts. I know that it’s not the most savoury subject matter, but it is one, nonetheless, that I feel should be addressed, and will hopefully prove a useful guide to any future parents wanting to save energy and do their bit for the environment.

The main issue with the use of disposable nappies is the amount of them that go to landfill each year. According to the Local Government Authority, nearly 3 billion disposable nappies are thrown away each year, costing £67 million in disposal fees at landfill sites (LGA, 2007); a bill that we, the taxpayers, are having to foot.  The answer in recent times has been a drive to convince new parents to switch to washable nappies. Now I’m not talking about the traditional square of Terry Towelling and a large safety pin; the ones I used were shaped, fitted with poppers and came with a paper liner to flush the nasty stuff straight down the toilet.

Day-to-day usage

Washable nappies are used in pretty much the same way as disposable ones – when they are soiled, you change them. However, instead of putting them straight in the bin, the dirty nappies are put into a bucket containing water and a nappy solution (in my case, tee tree oil). They are kept in soak until there are enough of them to put into the washing machine – usually about 10 at a time. Laundering them is exactly the same process as for washing and drying clothes. During the summer you can put them on the line to dry (while also advertising your green credentials to the neighbours), but in the winter and on rainy days you will need room to dry them. There is a point here to bear in mind; I found that I was constantly inundated with either dirty nappies that need washing, wet nappies that needed drying or dry nappies that needed putting away. Using a tumble drier will take some of the pressure off, but to dry them this way will dramatically increase energy usage.

Also, I did find that after a while the nappies lost their softness and started to feel a bit ‘crisp’, but having said that, I would still rather wear one than a disposable (if I was a baby that is).

Washable nappies also need a bit of preparation because they are, in effect, made of three parts; the nappy itself, a cotton liner (for older babies) and a paper liner. I used to prepare them by reattaching the cotton liner, putting in a fresh paper liner and piling them up ready for use in advance. I would advise this method because when you’re up to your elbows in the bad stuff, you don’t want to be fumbling around trying to assemble a nappy, which once on, then requires you to also fit the waterproof cover.

Disposables are by far the quickest and easiest to use, as you don’t have to wash or dry them. If you are going for a day out, say to the beach, they take up much less space, plus you don’t have to cart around soiled nappies in with your beach bag, because you can throw them away. They are also slightly quicker to change. Washing and preparation aside, I would argue that changing a cloth nappy takes a little while longer than a disposable, and with a writhing, crying baby who doesn’t want its nappy changed, time is of the essence.

One last point that I will touch on is odour. Both types of nappy have their negative sides here. Disposables will sit there festering in the bin until rubbish collection day, but washable nappies – or more to the point, the full nappy bucket and solution – will also start to pong a bit until washing time, although not as much as soiled disposables.

To get around the problems of piles of laundry you can look into a nappy washing service. These services are run by companies that will pick up your nappies on a weekly basis, wash them (to NHS standards) and return them clean and dry. This service costs around £10 – £12 per week, but negates the need for the initial outlay of buying your own set of nappies.

The costs

I am assuming here that the nappies are used for 2 years.

To buy a set of washable nappies will cost you around £250. This will provide you with everything that you need to get started; nappies, covers, liners, a bucket, and nappy solution. This initial outlay is by far the bulk of the cost, but you will have to stock up on more liners and nappy solution from time to time. Additionally, many local authorities offer parents financial incentives to make the switch to washable nappies, so it is worth checking with them to see what they have in place.

An A rated machine cycle at 60ºC will use about 0.94kWh in electricity. At 13 pence per kWh and assuming 36p in detergent and softener, a wash costs around 48 pence:

13p x 0.94kWh = 12.22p

36p + 12.22p = 48.22p

I found that on average I was washing nappies about twice a week. So to wash them was costing me around £1 a week. That’s £52 a year, or £104 for 2 years.  I have also included £25 for extra liners and nappy solution:

£250 + £104 + £25 = £379 for 2 years

It’s worth remembering here that you will save even more money if you use your washable nappies for more than one child. This doesn’t apply to the washing service.

A nappy washing service will cost around £1040 per child.

To supply your little ones with disposables will cost about £1000 per child.

The environmental impacts

The only environmental impacts associated with washable nappies are the energy and water used to launder them, as well as the detergents that are consequently released into the aquatic environment. This is negated somewhat if you use a washing service because they are washed in bulk, although carbon emissions from the pick up and drop off of the nappies to your home may be an issue, especially if you live far from a major urban area.

The foremost concern with disposables is the disposal of them (funnily enough). The majority are sent to landfill where they rot away underground creating methane – a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Because so many of them are used daily, the materials used to produce them are also an issue, as is the transport of them.

It is possible to find so-called ‘eco disposables’, which I currently use for my second child. The reason ‘eco’ is added to their name is because they are made from more natural materials than regular disposables (Pampers, Huggies, etc.) and are biodegradable. The make I use, Moltex Oko, come in compostable packaging, and I have personally tested their biodegradability by putting one in my home composter. I am pleased to say that one year later, all I managed to find of the nappy were the remains of the two plastic fastenings. A word of warning here though; granted, they may be made from biodegradable materials, but the bulk of them are still sent to landfill. The result is that they won’t have the chance to biodegrade, as they are buried in amongst the rest of our household trash. These nappies are also better for baby’s bum, as they contain much less moisture absorbent chemicals than regular nappies, resulting in a welcome absence of nappy rash. But remember, unless you find a novel way of disposing of them, they will not degrade naturally.

The pros and cons of washable nappies

The pros and cons of disposable nappies

So in summary then, washable nappies are cheaper, by around £600, and you can almost double this saving if you buy your own and use them for a second child. Even if you include the energy used to wash them, they are still kinder to the environment than disposable nappies. However, you do have to be committed and organised, have plenty of drying space and plenty of time. If you do, I would definitely recommend them to you. My family life unfortunately doesn’t allow me to use them anymore and yes I do suffer from the occasional guilt-trip, even though I use eco disposables. If you do intend to have children and want to save energy and save money, washable nappies are definitely the way forward.

References

LGA. www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=41857. Online. Accessed 09/60/10