Call for help to be offered with reusable nappies

A call for a voucher scheme to offer new parents money off reusable nappies will go before East Suffolk Council.

The motion has been put forward by councillor Jenny Ceresa, who said "we are all aware of the climate emergency, and when you look at statistics around the amount of nappies we use it's frightening".

A 2023 Defra report found "whilst disposable nappies have a higher global warming potential, reusable nappies have a higher impact in other environmental categories".

For reusable nappies, "the main contributing factor is electricity used in pre-washing, washing and drying operations", the report said.

Jenny Ceresa is behind the push for greater use of disposable nappies

Ceresa is the deputy leader of the Conservative opposition group on the council and a mother of one.

She said: "150 tonnes of nappies go to incinerator in Suffolk each year and 3,000 a day are being removed out of recycling waste, often contaminating the recycling, when it should go into the black bins."

She added that the costs of the scheme could be covered by donations from the £7,500 locality budgets each councillor was allocated.

"I believe it is good value. It’s about the environment and looking after little ones.

"It’s just as easy using disposable nappies," she said.

The motion will go before the council on Wednesday.

Abbie Thorrington uses reusable potty training pants for her daughter but said when she was small reusable nappies felt "too much"

Abbie Thorrington, who visits Kesgrave library's stay and play group with her two young children, had considered using them but said: "The regularity they go to the toilet and the washing of them [meant] it felt too much."

But Ms Thorrington said a voucher scheme would make her "consider it".

India, another user of the play-and-stay group, is expecting her sixth child. She has used reusable nappies for all her children.

"I liked it because I knew the initial cost was done before I had the baby and then I didn't have to worry about keep buying nappies," she said.

She added that "a voucher scheme would be helpful" and "I think it's important to help the environment".