Worcestershire County Council’s Waste Challenge Team has organised events across the county encouraging parents and parents-to-be to use real nappies as part of Real Nappy Week.

Real Nappy Week starts next Monday (April 21) with the County Council holding Nappaccino mornings across Worcestershire. Parents and parents-to-be are being encouraged to attend the mornings that will provide them with information about the benefits of using real nappies.

The Nappaccino mornings are being held at the following venues:

• Redditch Library from 10am until 12noon on Monday, April 21
• Evesham is hosting their Nappaccino morning at the Coffee Lounge in Wallace House Community Centre from 10am until 12pm on Monday, April 21
• Honeybees Natural Nursery Store is holding the 'Nappy Change Olympics' in Worcester, on Wednesday April 23rd from 10am until 2pm.
• There will be a Real Nappy info stand at the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) Nearly New Sale in Abbey Park Middle School, Pershore, 10:15 - 12:00 on 26th April

The County Council is also targeting health care professionals by launching a resource pack aimed specifically at midwives, health visitors and other ante and post natal care providers. The free information packs will help in educating parents and parents-to-be in making informed choices about what style nappy to use on their baby [more info].

Jane Orme, Worcestershire County Council’s Waste Challenge Manager, said: “We are keen to let parents, parents-to-be and guardians know about the option of using modern real nappies, which are easy to use and wash.

“The County Council’s Waste Challenge Team is working to help residents reduce their household waste. One way people can cut their household rubbish by up to half and save £500 or more is by choosing real nappies instead of disposables. Eight million disposable nappies are thrown way each day in the UK. The vast majority of these end up in landfill and could take hundreds of years for them to decompose.”

Each child can use up to 6,000 disposable nappies in their lifetime. Over 90 per cent of disposable nappies are disposed of in landfill and may take up hundreds of years to decompose. The average spend on disposable nappies can be as much as £922.74 per child before they reach the age of three. Real nappies can be used again and again and on parents' next child.

The County Council is responsible for getting rid of all the disposable nappies thrown out by Worcestershire's parents. Not only do these nappies take decades to break down after they've been taken to landfill, it is also increasingly costly for the County Council to pay for such disposal, a cost that's passed on to the Council Taxpayer.

For more information on any of these events contact the Mission ImPossible team on 01905 766883 or email the MI team missionimpossible@worcestershire.gov.uk