Blow to image of ‘green’ reusable nappy

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

Report hushed up.

[TheArmadillo]

That story came out months if not years ago. Was in most of the newspapers etc.

Many real nappy users say they do wash them below 60 degrees and line dry them.

So in that case they would be more environmentally friendly.

I do wonder who paid for and conducted the investigation.

[LazyLinePainterJane]

Who washes their nappies at 90?

[AnarchyAunt]

I don't see anything 'extreme' about drying nappies on the line

Or in fact about washing them at 60, or keeping them/passing them on for other children.

[LazyLinePainterJane]

I didn't buy reusables because I thought they would "save the planet", I bought them because they were cheaper.

[witchandchips]

but isn't the point in part about reusables the landfill that disposibles create? This is not mentioned in the report

[tissy]

yep, old report, discredited for reasons given by theArmadillo

we washed ours at 40 unless really dirty, and passed or sold them on, dried on the line, put them in a load with other stuff if only wet, didn't soak. We also used washable wipes with water rather than baby wipes as well.

[CharCharBaGOOOOOOORE]

I thought a new report had come out now? Saying that they are in fact better.

[Lio]

And didn't they only wash about 6 nappies at a time or something stupid like that?

[canofworms]

And did they also iron the nappies?

[DartmoorMama]

yes there is a new report. The old one was definitely discredited because they collected data from so few people amongst other reasons. Some of the findings were only based on one family where as thousands of disposable using families were surveyed.

[WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere]

Has already been disproven.

Apparently they only surveyed somthing like 35 real nappy users. .

Article that explains in all here

It was funded by Proctor and Gamble ffs.

[ilovemyghds]

Yes, was based on many assumptions like everyone was tumble drying, ironing!, not passing them on etc. Though someone had linked to the new report on here the other day (or maybe I read it somewhere else).

TheArmadillo - I also wondered at the time who funded the research. I think that if disposables were genuinely more eco friendly then pampers would have it splashed across the packaging!

[newgirl]

flippin nappy companies!!

i did research for a disposable brand a while back and everyone was saying (mums who were asked) they wanted them greener - but they did not take it on board - they were more obsessed with how sticky the flaps were

[WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere]

This makes me so .

If you are using cloth nappies then you are probably quite environmentally savvy.

You wash at a sensible temp and you air dry in or out of the house.

And the report only covers the effect of manufacture.

Landfill landfill landfill

I already know several people who use diposables because they've read this report.

Arrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

[nooOOOoonki]

Newgirl tha tis just so typical of these companies

i hated this when it came out first time -

Why wash them at 60 ffs
who tumble dries nappies?
Ours are on their 3 child and are good as new
grrrrrrrrrr

[SheherazadetheGoat]

i think you have to be fairly thick to believe disposables have the same environmental impact as terries.

[DartmoorMama]

that original report was really weird. I seem to remember they didnt include disposable nappies in landfill but did include the life cycle of plastic nappy buckets.

[jooseyfruit]

read this it gives a quite balanced view i think.

[ilovemydog]

Agree with others.

The whole tone of the article is just snide with comments such as 'saving the planet...'

Besides, like anything scientific, it depends on your control group, what is being measured, and how many people were involved etc.

From a landfill perspective, disposables are a disaster. I don't want 2 weeks of disposables in my bin, nevermind the 100 years or whatever to degrade

[WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere]

Anyway if there was no difference, how come we don't all wear disposable clothes?

[MilaMae]

There have been other reports questioning the same thing I personally think they are both pretty equal having used both. Moneywise washables were dearer for me. I have friends who came to the same conclusion.

I had twins so had to buy double I got through boxes of Ecover weekly( non environmental washing powder used in vast quantities is bad for the environment) I had to have the heating on full blast to dry the things(no tumble dryer), the liners weren't cheap or the nappy soak. I also had the washing machine on constantly yet more electricity and a massive water bill. I tooted it up and buying Nature nappies for my twins was cheaper so that is what I switched too.

I read a report that said unless you use a nappy laundering service that uses Eco washing powder washables are just as bad. The cotton used to make them isn't good for the environment either.

If I could have afforded Moltex which are compostible I would have used those and feel they would have been the best nappy to use re the environment. Financially Nature were cheaper, non environmental friendly makes would I'm sure work out even cheaper.

[snowybun]

As others have said this is an old report and annoyed me at the time. I use washable nappies none of mine have ever had a 60 wash I do 40 mostly and really mucky ones on 50. I line dry all year round spring and autumn really are the best time to dry nappies outside and if they get rained on they dry really soft. I have never met anyone who irons nappies. My nappies are on the second use and I will sell these on after I have finished using them.

[ilovemydog]

I disagree - the cost debate may be an issue if you have twins, but if you pass them down, as I have, it's infintely cheaper.

Washing wise - I have 2 full time in reusables and do a wash every other day. The washing machine is not constantly on!

Our electricity and gas bill is about the same as before....

[tissy]

fleece liners cost a few pence each and last forever

you don't need nappy soak