At East Suffolk Council’s Full Council meeting yesterday, Cllr Jenny Ceresa brought forward a proposal to encourage the use of reusable nappies as a means of cost saving for families and reducing the environmental impact caused by disposable nappies.

An increasing number of UK Council authorities offer a variety of incentives to help start using reusable nappies, (also known as modern cloth nappies.)

The proposal from Cllr Ceresa, Ward member for Carlton & Whitton would see discount vouchers or starter pack offers provided to expectant parents, parents and foster carerswith children under 18 months (or under 5 years with a disability requiring nappies) to help with upfront costs of buying reusable nappies.

Cllr Cerersa said: “As a Council we are already focused on limiting the use of plastics, but disposable nappies are going unnoticed as being one of the most significant contributors to plastic pollution globally.

In the UK 2.9 billion disposable nappies end up in landfills each year and reducing the number of nappies sent to landfill will have a big impact on the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Locally in Suffolk, 150 tonnes of nappies end up in recycling bins each year. This equates to approximately 3000 nappies needing to be removed each day at the recycling centres, separate to the nappies placed in black waste bins.”

The proposal, though welcomed by many Councillors yesterday did sadly face some opposition. Some commenting on the lack of convenience attached to the use of reusable nappies. After much debate, and amendments, the Motion was eventually accepted.

East Suffolk Conservatives are delighted that the proposals to support families and the Council’s environmental agenda has been accepted.

Cllr Ceresa added: “Over 60 authorities across the UK, are already providing similar incentives and I hope the East Suffolk administration will deliver this initiative as quickly as possible and that this will be the start of a campaign that will be echoed across the whole of the County.”