Wow! It took 10 years for Rosetta to reach the comet from planet Earth. TEN YEARS! So this project was being planned years ahead. This is the kind of thinking needed in the waste sector to move us towards a Zero Waste London.
We also need the maths. How much will your borough spend on disposable nappy waste over the next 25 years? How much less would it spend if an increasing percentage of residents started using washable nappies instead?
The only thing that will make your borough use our service to help them reduce nappy waste is if you write to your local councillors and tell them. Please help RNfL do more to reduce disposable nappy waste. You can use this link Write to Them.
Next week is the European Week for Waste Reduction. Please write to your local councillor. Tell her/him that you are using real nappies and reducing waste and ask them to join Real Nappies for London so we can create a pan London nappy scheme so that we can reduce the overall impact as well as the cost of nappy waste.
The average cost of disposing of a tonne of waste by landfill or incineration is £100. Each baby produces almost a tonne of waste from birth to potty. You can find out how many babies are born in your borough here It's interesting to see that the boroughs with the most babies born in them in 2013; Newham, Croydon, Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Wandsworth have not signed up to use our service.
Thank you for already using real nappies. Please do this extra one thing next week to increase your impact!
Showing posts with label zero waste. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zero waste. Show all posts
Monday, 17 November 2014
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
London spends £20 million on nappy waste ...
On any one day there are about 335k babies and toddlers in London wearing an average of 5 disposable nappies per day. That means over 1.5 million nappies are thrown away in London every day. We estimate Londoners spend approximately £20 million per year on the collection and disposal of nappy waste.
How much does YOUR local authority spend on the disposal of nappy waste each year? We make an estimate based on the number of babies born in your borough, the amount of waste a baby in disposable nappies generates (874kg - almost a tonne, from birth to potty training) and the cost of waste disposal per tonne for your borough - this varies according to the way waste is treated.
Here are some examples of the costs per year, per London borough:
Brent £490k (based on 5,340 births in 2012)
Croydon £365k (based on 4,177 births in 2012)
Ealing £504k (based on 5,487 births in 2012)
Hillingdon £420k (based on 4,536 births in 2012)
Hounslow £424k (based on 4,621 births in 2012)
Lambeth £582k (based on 4,825 births in 2012)
Merton £319k (based on 3,476 births in 2012)
Sutton £237k (based on 2,708 births in 2012)
Wandsworth (inc collection) £886k (based on 5,451 births in 2012)
Surely local authorities should spend at least 3% of what they spend on disposable nappy waste on preventing/reducing the cost of this household waste stream? Why don't they? Because they say residents can't be influenced and so raising awareness is a waste of money. It's true that real nappies will not become the norm over night. Behaviour change is slow. It took about 30 years for disposable nappies to become the norm. It could take 30 years for real nappies to become the norm again.
At Real Nappies for London we know that real nappy vouchers are an effective way of increasing the uptake of washable nappies. They increase word-of-mouth (the best marketing there is) and encourage residents to find out about them and try them.
We don't understand it when local authorities say they haven't got the money to pay for our help. The collection and disposal of single-use nappies is expensive. Reusable nappies are a zero waste alternative and bring down waste collection and disposal costs.
Real Nappies for London was designed to be a pan-London scheme. By working across London we can offer an economic and effective service - the more boroughs join the better the scheme. This is largely because of you. You have friends in different boroughs and can refer them to RNfL for help and support in using washable nappies.
We are in the run-up to the London local elections. Councillors are listening. Please write to them (use this link to write a quick email) and tell them that you want them to spend money on reducing disposable nappy waste in your borough. If your borough does offer a nappy voucher or a nappy trial pack please let them know you support this. This will help ensure these schemes continue to exist.
For futher information on disposables vs reusable nappies please see Which? A good article to pass on to friends and family that are expecting a baby.
Do post any questions you have about the Real Nappies for London scheme and we will try to answer them. As residents you are powerful. You can get your borough to promote real nappies if enough of you contact your councillors.
Want more ideas on how to reduce your waste? This inspiring YouTube film of a Zero Waste Household has had over 70,000 views.
Saturday, 21 December 2013
Is composting single-use nappies the solution?
Well done to EnviroComp and Biffa for getting this story about composting nappies on BBC Breakfast just before the Waste Prevention Plan for England was published on 11 December 2013.
Composting nappy waste is certainly a better business model than Knowaste's recycling plant. There would only have been 6 nappy recycling processors in the UK so the road miles would have been a disaster.
EnviroComp's composting process has the advantage of having been tried and tested in New Zealand. The treatment of the disposable nappies can happen relatively locally. Could this happen in central London?
It will still require separate collections of nappies. That's a challenge. It would be good if customers pay for the collection or get rewarded for dropping off at a nappy bank, somewhere they are going anyway, such as the supermarket - to reduce road miles and prevent the additional costs being added to council tax bills.
The plastic still has to be sieved off and is sent for incineration. So unfortunately that's toxic. The superabsorbent gel remains in the compost. That means it's going to end up in the food chain eventually. We don't know what happens to birds that have eaten worms that have eaten superabsorbent gel. The best thing to do is for Europe to ban superabsorbent gel from single-use nappies. We've been calling for this for some time.
We also need to consider the impacts of the manufacture, packaging and distribution of 4-6,000 single-use nappies per baby.
Those of you who frequent this blog will also have seen our concerns that disposable nappies lengthen the time children stay in nappies and there are health issues/costs - financial and environmental.
Still, this is better than landfill, incineration or recycling nappies. However nappy laundry services, reusable nappies and elimination communication are even better. Thanks to all of you who are increasing real nappy use across London and reducing the impacts of single-use nappies. Enjoy your baby!
Posts that may be of interest: Are potty training methods in the west...
In particular look at the last comment on this blog
and
We're talking about potty training again
Composting nappy waste is certainly a better business model than Knowaste's recycling plant. There would only have been 6 nappy recycling processors in the UK so the road miles would have been a disaster.
EnviroComp's composting process has the advantage of having been tried and tested in New Zealand. The treatment of the disposable nappies can happen relatively locally. Could this happen in central London?
It will still require separate collections of nappies. That's a challenge. It would be good if customers pay for the collection or get rewarded for dropping off at a nappy bank, somewhere they are going anyway, such as the supermarket - to reduce road miles and prevent the additional costs being added to council tax bills.
The plastic still has to be sieved off and is sent for incineration. So unfortunately that's toxic. The superabsorbent gel remains in the compost. That means it's going to end up in the food chain eventually. We don't know what happens to birds that have eaten worms that have eaten superabsorbent gel. The best thing to do is for Europe to ban superabsorbent gel from single-use nappies. We've been calling for this for some time.
We also need to consider the impacts of the manufacture, packaging and distribution of 4-6,000 single-use nappies per baby.
Those of you who frequent this blog will also have seen our concerns that disposable nappies lengthen the time children stay in nappies and there are health issues/costs - financial and environmental.
Still, this is better than landfill, incineration or recycling nappies. However nappy laundry services, reusable nappies and elimination communication are even better. Thanks to all of you who are increasing real nappy use across London and reducing the impacts of single-use nappies. Enjoy your baby!
Posts that may be of interest: Are potty training methods in the west...
In particular look at the last comment on this blog
and
We're talking about potty training again
Monday, 30 September 2013
Landfilling disposable nappies is environmental vandalism
it's also big business, according to Hilary Vick, Real Nappies for London Project Manager
Barbican Conference Centre, London, November 2009 I arrive late at the Zero Waste conference, organised by the Resource Recovery Forum. The coffee break is in full-swing. I overhear a woman, high heels, suit (presumably a waste industry professional) say "Well, if what I just heard in there is right we'll be out of business in 10 years time."
What I've never understood about the waste industry is why it doesn't get Zero Waste. I've talked to many waste industry professionals and waste prevention scares them. Few of them seem to understand that there's always going to be waste and actually as the volume goes down and waste disposal standards go up they will charge more for handling less waste better. They are never going to go out of business.
In addition they have the business of cleaning up the mess that the waste industry has been allowed to make. A big one is the ash from incineration. Another big one is the leachate from landfill sites. They're always going to be busy. They do a dirty job that has to be done and we are grateful. Now, they need to get on side and help prevent waste so they can make money out of dealing with less waste, better.
Landfilling disposable nappies is environmental vandalsim and it's time the waste industry (that with a few exceptions constantly denies that disposable nappy waste is an issue) and all UK political parties recognised the need to support parents and institutions that use real nappies. They are preventing waste and that's what's best.
There are other alternatives to landfill. But waste prevention is cheap compared to the costs of incineration, recycling and composting nappy waste. Parents that use real nappies reduce the cost of dealing with disposable nappy waste. So why isn't everyone championing real nappy use?
Support for real nappies will not even be in the Waste Prevention Plan for England when it comes out (deadline 12 December 2013.) And this is wrong; not only are real nappies zero waste, but also, according to the updated life cycle analysis by the Environment Agency (2008,see link below), real nappies if washed at 60 degrees or below and line dried (RNfL research shows that this is how most London parents launder nappies) can have up to 40% lower carbon impacts than single-use nappies.
Look out for BIG ACTIVISM on the day the Waste Prevention Plan for England is released. We want real nappy parents from in and around London to gather in a public place and make a BIG SPECTACLE. And if you haven't got a baby but support us please join us. And if nappies get into the Waste Prevention Plan we'll be celebrating!
Please book here to register your interest.
Resource Recovery Forum: Waste Prevention: Aiming High, November 2009
Envionment Agency: Using Science to create a better place; an updated life cycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies, October 2008
Barbican Conference Centre, London, November 2009 I arrive late at the Zero Waste conference, organised by the Resource Recovery Forum. The coffee break is in full-swing. I overhear a woman, high heels, suit (presumably a waste industry professional) say "Well, if what I just heard in there is right we'll be out of business in 10 years time."
What I've never understood about the waste industry is why it doesn't get Zero Waste. I've talked to many waste industry professionals and waste prevention scares them. Few of them seem to understand that there's always going to be waste and actually as the volume goes down and waste disposal standards go up they will charge more for handling less waste better. They are never going to go out of business.
In addition they have the business of cleaning up the mess that the waste industry has been allowed to make. A big one is the ash from incineration. Another big one is the leachate from landfill sites. They're always going to be busy. They do a dirty job that has to be done and we are grateful. Now, they need to get on side and help prevent waste so they can make money out of dealing with less waste, better.
Landfilling disposable nappies is environmental vandalsim and it's time the waste industry (that with a few exceptions constantly denies that disposable nappy waste is an issue) and all UK political parties recognised the need to support parents and institutions that use real nappies. They are preventing waste and that's what's best.
There are other alternatives to landfill. But waste prevention is cheap compared to the costs of incineration, recycling and composting nappy waste. Parents that use real nappies reduce the cost of dealing with disposable nappy waste. So why isn't everyone championing real nappy use?
Support for real nappies will not even be in the Waste Prevention Plan for England when it comes out (deadline 12 December 2013.) And this is wrong; not only are real nappies zero waste, but also, according to the updated life cycle analysis by the Environment Agency (2008,see link below), real nappies if washed at 60 degrees or below and line dried (RNfL research shows that this is how most London parents launder nappies) can have up to 40% lower carbon impacts than single-use nappies.
Look out for BIG ACTIVISM on the day the Waste Prevention Plan for England is released. We want real nappy parents from in and around London to gather in a public place and make a BIG SPECTACLE. And if you haven't got a baby but support us please join us. And if nappies get into the Waste Prevention Plan we'll be celebrating!
Please book here to register your interest.
Resource Recovery Forum: Waste Prevention: Aiming High, November 2009
Envionment Agency: Using Science to create a better place; an updated life cycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies, October 2008
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Wouldn't it be nice if ...
we could stop the myth that washable nappies are just as bad for the environment as using disposables?
We know where this idea came from: in 2005 the Environment Agency (EA) published a nappy life cycle analysis that said so - but the data on washing nappies was very poor, based on a small number of parents using terry nappies and speculation about boiling, tumble-drying and ironing the nappies. In 2008 the EA brought out an updated nappy life-cycle analysis. It concluded that using real nappies could have up to 40% lower carbon impacts than disposables if the nappies were washed at less than 60 degrees and line-dried. However it said washing nappies would have higher carbon impacts than single-use nappies if the reusables were boiled and tumble-dried.
These reports had a really positive impact on the real nappy industry. They made us talk about washing nappies and look at how nappies can be laundered with the minimum carbon and environmental impacts. However, it also set off this myth that washing nappies is no better for the environment than using "disposable" nappies.
But there's an issue: Defra doesn't know how people wash nappies. However at Real Nappies for London we do. We have an on-going survey where we ask people how they wash and dry their nappies. Only 1% say they wash nappies at 90 degrees and less than 6% tumble-dry. This means that we can safely say real nappies are not only zero waste, they also have significantly lower carbon impacts than disposables.
Why is this important?
1 because at the moment it looks like nappies will not appear in the Government's Waste Prevention Plan for England 2013.
2 people who use real nappies tell us that friends and relatives actually discourage them from using them saying that washing nappies is just as bad for the environment as disposables, so why bother?
At Real Nappies for London we know that people are afraid of the washing. That means the opportunity to persuade people to try real nappies and thus reduce disposable nappy waste is already difficult. This myth that washing nappies is just as bad for the environment as using 4-5,000 single-use nappies that are sent to landfill where they emit methane, a potent climate change gas is not helpful. It discourages those parents that are doing the right thing and using real nappies and it puts off parents, nurseries and maternity wards that are open to using real nappies.
But is this a problem? Has this myth slowed down the growth of real nappy culture? Yes, it has. Has this been a bad thing? Not necessarily. People who decide to use real nappies have to work hard to do it. They have to get information, choose which nappy to buy, pay a high upfront cost (compared to weekly spend on disposables). This tends to make them determined to make them work and take great pride in their success. This makes for a slower more sustained growth of real nappy culture and this may not be a bad thing in the long term. One thing is for sure. There are a lot more people using real nappies in London in 2013 than there were 10 years ago plus the nappies have improved and how people wash them has changed for the better!
For more on this theme see Remember the Waste Hierarchy September 2011
We know where this idea came from: in 2005 the Environment Agency (EA) published a nappy life cycle analysis that said so - but the data on washing nappies was very poor, based on a small number of parents using terry nappies and speculation about boiling, tumble-drying and ironing the nappies. In 2008 the EA brought out an updated nappy life-cycle analysis. It concluded that using real nappies could have up to 40% lower carbon impacts than disposables if the nappies were washed at less than 60 degrees and line-dried. However it said washing nappies would have higher carbon impacts than single-use nappies if the reusables were boiled and tumble-dried.
These reports had a really positive impact on the real nappy industry. They made us talk about washing nappies and look at how nappies can be laundered with the minimum carbon and environmental impacts. However, it also set off this myth that washing nappies is no better for the environment than using "disposable" nappies.
But there's an issue: Defra doesn't know how people wash nappies. However at Real Nappies for London we do. We have an on-going survey where we ask people how they wash and dry their nappies. Only 1% say they wash nappies at 90 degrees and less than 6% tumble-dry. This means that we can safely say real nappies are not only zero waste, they also have significantly lower carbon impacts than disposables.
Why is this important?
1 because at the moment it looks like nappies will not appear in the Government's Waste Prevention Plan for England 2013.
2 people who use real nappies tell us that friends and relatives actually discourage them from using them saying that washing nappies is just as bad for the environment as disposables, so why bother?
At Real Nappies for London we know that people are afraid of the washing. That means the opportunity to persuade people to try real nappies and thus reduce disposable nappy waste is already difficult. This myth that washing nappies is just as bad for the environment as using 4-5,000 single-use nappies that are sent to landfill where they emit methane, a potent climate change gas is not helpful. It discourages those parents that are doing the right thing and using real nappies and it puts off parents, nurseries and maternity wards that are open to using real nappies.
But is this a problem? Has this myth slowed down the growth of real nappy culture? Yes, it has. Has this been a bad thing? Not necessarily. People who decide to use real nappies have to work hard to do it. They have to get information, choose which nappy to buy, pay a high upfront cost (compared to weekly spend on disposables). This tends to make them determined to make them work and take great pride in their success. This makes for a slower more sustained growth of real nappy culture and this may not be a bad thing in the long term. One thing is for sure. There are a lot more people using real nappies in London in 2013 than there were 10 years ago plus the nappies have improved and how people wash them has changed for the better!
For more on this theme see Remember the Waste Hierarchy September 2011
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