• A voucher to buy real nappies or accessories at participating retailers, or for a free trial nappy laundry service
• Information on how to use real nappies
• Local contacts
• An invitation to a real nappy event near you

Why use Real Nappies?

• Do your bit for the environment and reduce rubbish going to landfill
• They can save you money
• They are easy to use
• Home washing is easy
• Nappy laundry services provide extra convenience
• There are lots of funky styles to choose from
• You will have made between 4000 and 6000 nappy changes by the time your baby is potty trained
• You can save more than £500 in nappy costs
• Nearly 3 billion nappies are thrown away in the UK every year, with 90 per cent of these ending up in landfill
• Nearly 8 million nappies are thrown away every day
• We don't know how long it takes for plastics in disposable nappies to decompose, it could take hundreds of years
• Disposal of nappies costs local authorities between £500,000 and £1,000,000 per year

Disposable nappies are made of super absorbent chemicals, paper pulp, plastics and adhesives, while real nappies are mostly made of natural fabrics.

You can choose soft, natural fabrics to go next to your baby's skin. The best solutions, organic cotton and hemp nappies and organic wool waterproof overpants, are available at a reasonable cost.

Environmental Impact

London sends around 90,000 tonnes of disposable nappies to landfill sites every year. Using real nappies allows parents to control their environmental impact by changing the way water, chemicals and energy are used. Here are ten top tips to reduce your impact on the environment with real nappies:

• Use an energy efficient washing machine
• Wash soiled nappies at 60 degrees Celsius
• Wash wet nappies and waterproof wraps at lower temperatures along with the rest of your laundry
• Avoid tumble drying - hang nappies out to dry or use an airer
• Avoid soaking - store nappies dry in a lidded bucket
• Avoid using unnecessary chemicals such as conditioners and sanitisers
• Use eco-detergent
• Never iron nappies or wraps
• Extend the life of your nappies - reuse them on another baby, or give/sell them to someone else
• Use washable liners

Women's Environmental Network (WEN) has calculated that simply by using 24 nappies and laundering them in an A-rated energy efficient washing machine at 60 degrees Celsius, parents/carers can save nearly 24 per cent of the global warming impacts suggested in Environment Agency's 2005 Report on reusable and disposable nappies.

How do I claim my FREE nappy voucher?
Vouchers are limited to one per baby. You will need to fill out a voucher application form along with evidence of:

• Your identity: drivers licence, passport, birth certificate
• Address: council tax, water, gas, electricity or landline phone bill
• Pregnancy or birth: MatB1 form or baby birth certificate

Please use photocopies, do NOT send originals.

For information on what Newham is doing to support this campaign or how to claim your voucher, please contact Dianne Taylor on 020 8430 2000 or Dianne.Taylor@newham.gov.uk.
For other information, please contact the Real Nappies for London Helpline on 020 7324 4709 or go to www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk.