www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk

Write to your local MP to support the Nappies (Environmental Standards) Bill

Single-use plastics have become a fast-growing environmental concern, widely spoken about by MPs and the media. Last month the government confirmed that a ban on plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds is to be introduced by next April 2020. This is a step in the right direction, but what about other single-use plastic waste such as nappies?

The average daily use of single-use nappies is equivalent to throwing away seven supermarket plastic bags per day. That’s 6,400 plastic bags over 2.5 years all sent to incineration or landfill, where they can take up to 500 years to decompose. This statistic is even more alarming when you consider that 8 million single-use nappies are destined for incineration or landfill every day in the UK.

If the Government intends on reducing single-use plastics and eliminating avoidable waste, disposable nappies need to be part of the conversation.

Here is how you can help get the conversation started:

E-mail or tweet your MP asking them to support the Nappies (Environmental Standards) Bill and write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove.

Please see below the key points of the Bill and suggested template email/tweets:

Nappies (Environmental Standards) Bill

The Nappies Bill, launched by David Linden MP, plans to establish an industry and government-led campaign to promote reusable nappies that meet environmental standards and reduce disposable, single-use nappy waste.

Key points from the Bill:

  1. The Nappy Bill will legislate to ensure that manufacturers and retailers cannot trade, advertise or promote nappies under false “eco-friendly” claims. Currently, parents are being led to believe disposal nappies are recyclable or biodegradable by misleading claims from manufacturers and retailers. The Bill will help parents to make an informed decision.
  2. The Bill advocates that parents should be provided with information on the damaging environmental and health effects of disposable nappies so that they can make informed decisions, as well as being made aware of the financial advantages of reusable nappies for families and local authorities.
  3. The Bill will also incentivise local authorities across the country to roll out reusable nappy voucher schemes, such as the Real Nappies for London scheme, in order to reduce disposable nappy waste and the circulation in the waste stream of single-use plastics. It is time for Local Governments to step in and act to help their constituents make the switch to reusable nappies and reduce nappy waste in their local boroughs.

View the full Nappies (Environmental Standards) Bill here or you can read the Nappy Alliance’s press release here.

Download the email template to contact your local MP to support the Nappies (Environmental Standards) Bill here.

Download the tweets template to contact your local MP to support the Nappies (Environmental Standards) Bill here.

To find out who your MP is and their email address please insert your postcode here. We suggest you use the MP’s parliamentary email address.

To find out your MPs twitter please insert your postcode here.

This is just one of the many ways you can help get the conversation about reusable nappies started. You can support your local cloth nappy library/network to promote reusable nappies by volunteering or supporting local events. Normalise the conversation by sharing your experiences of using cloth nappies with other parents. If you would like to get involved with Real Nappies for London and help us raise more awareness of reusable nappies in London, please get in touch – info@realnappiesforlondon.org.uk.

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