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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the average annual cost to a waste disposal authority of the disposal in landfill sites of disposable nappies; what discussions she has had with local authorities about ways of reducing those costs; what steps she takes to promote best practice in such matters; and if she will make a statement; [161854] (2) what estimate she has made of the tonnage of disposable nappies that was disposed of in landfill sites in the last five years; what percentage of that tonnage is represented by (a) faeces and urine and (b) the original weight of the nappy; and what assessment she has made of the public health implications of the disposal in landfill sites of the untreated raw sewage in disposable nappies; [161855] (3) what steps her Department takes to promote the uptake of reusable nappies; [161856] (4) what initiatives she plans to reduce the impact upon the environment of the use of disposable nappies. [161911] Mr. Morley: West Sussex County Council's scheme promoting re-usable nappies was included in the Municipal Waste Management Strategies Guidance published by the then DETR in 2001. West Sussex estimated that the cost of disposing of nappies to them was between £280,000 and £430,000 per annum. The Strategy Unit in its report "Waste Not Want Not" estimated that in 2000-01 nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes. Medical and related scientific studies show a wide range for the production of urine and faeces from children of different ages and these figures are currently being investigated as part of the Environment Agency study on the life cycle impacts of disposable and reusable nappy systems which will report in the summer. Properly regulated landfill is a proven method of dealing with waste safely and can be relied on if alternative methods of dealing with waste are not provided. Our view is that good waste management practice adequately regulated can and does cope with disposable nappies. Following the publication of the Strategy Unit report "Waste Not Want Not" the Government accepted the recommendation that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) should take forward (as part of an overall waste minimisation initiative) work on supporting re-usable nappies through the provision of support for new businesses and information to parents. The details of the programme are still being worked up. The aim of the WRAP programme is to achieve an average diversion of 225 kg/yr per participating household. WRAP'S target is to convert 155,000 households to re-usable nappies by end of fiscal year 2006. This is an ambitious target and if achieved would create a reduction in household waste of 35,000 tonnes.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

420 c147-8W;420 c146-7W; 161854;161855;161856;161911

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Costs Landfill Standards Sewage Waste disposal Nappies WRAP

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk