Disposable nappies don’t decompose for 500 years, putting enormous pressure on landfill sites. As part of World Environment Day, Jenny Laue talks to one mum who switched to reusable nappies and was so impressed she set herself up in business to spread the word.

THEY’RE greener, they’re cheaper and they really easy to use these days, yet cloth nappies are still something parents avoid in favour of disposable ones.

In recent years, there have been many “real nappy” campaigns and even council-led, money-back incentives to promote them. It’s an uphill struggle, but thanks to mums like Jo James, from Sedgefield, the message is slowly getting through.

Jo is one of several Lollipop real nappy advisors for the North-East, who’s helping new parents get to grips with the reusable concept and convince others that real nappies don’t always mean sore bums and endless soaking.

Lollipop was set up ten years ago and is run from the barn on Liz Scambler’s organic farm in Cornwall.

Liz herself has three children, all of whom have been brought up in real nappies. The company now has more than 200 independent advisors nationwide and is the first port of call for parents-to-be who are interested in using cloth nappies.

Although Jo admits that she used disposable nappies with her first two children, she is using real ones with her third child, 14-month-old Hannah.

She found them so convenient that she wanted to become a advisor herself.

“I knew that disposable nappies don’t break down easily and I wanted to do my bit for the environment, so I gave them a go,” says the 37-yearold.

“I think you can’t advise people properly if you haven’t tried it yourself.

I wanted to let people know that there are really good, modern alternatives.”

Real nappies have come a long way from the old-fashioned image of scratchy terry towels and sharp nappy pins.

The modern versions are colourful, leak-proof, made from the softest material – mostly organic too – can be washed at 40 degrees and dried in a matter of hours. And they could save parents up to £1,000 per child.

“They’re so easy to use. A lot of people still have the old picture in their heads that you have to soak them or boil-wash them, but you just put them in the washing machine and wash them at an environmentally- friendly 40 degrees. I wash Hannah’s every two to three days and I have to say it’s very satisfying to see them strung out on the line.

“The ones I use on Hannah also have Velcro fastenings, which is great because there is no need for nappy pins, and they’re adjustable as Hannah grows, so there aren’t any leaks.”

Jo has been working as a Lollipop real nappy advisor since July last year. She says it took a little while to get established, especially because she had to fit her time around her three children, but now she regularly goes to playgroups and kids’ clubs and works with local midwives and nurses.

“I see more and more people taking them up,” she says. “And that’s for two reasons. The first one is financial.

Disposable nappies are expensive and the average child uses up to 5,000 nappies until it is potty trained, but with real nappies you could save £1,000.

“The second reason is, of course, the environmental impact. Parents who use real nappies can potentially reduce their carbon footprint by 40 per cent.”

APART from Lollipop, there are several other real nappy schemes available in the UK.

There is an initial cost of around £150, depending on which nappies are chosen, but parents who decided to go for it are usually entitled to a money-back payment from their local council.

Durham County Council’s Waste Management department, for instance, gives £30 cash back, and Darlington Borough Council’s Real Nappy Incentive Scheme pays £25.

Some councils also offer free trial packs.

■ For further information, log on to teamlollipop.co.uk; goreal.org.uk, thenappylady.co.uk; nappyline.com or theecologist.org Jo can be contacted on 01740-623838