Is buying bio degradable nappies pointless if you live in Sheffield ?

[Justin Smith]

Spoke to a veolia representative a few weeks ago & was told all of Sheffield waste is either recycled or incinerated.

 

Are you saying that none of the waste collected by Veolia in Sheffield goes to landfill ? If so it really is pointless us buying (more expensive) bio degradable nappies.

 

---------- Post added 13-02-2013 at 11:00 ----------

 

Can't see what is wrong with them going to landfill anyway, after all it's not going to be dug up in the near future is it?

 

Personally speaking I`m not happy about leaving a problem for later generations that`s any bigger than it needs to be, that`s why we use bio degradable nappies. I know some will say well why don`t you use terries nappies then ? Lack of time and lack of a tumble drier (the latter using significant amounts of electricity anyway).

[RobWilson]

It does seem silly to pay extra for biodegradable anything if you know it's going to be incinerated.

 

 

On a side issue, my mum worked in nurseries for decades and says that children wearing disposable nappies become toilet trained many, many months or even years later than children using terry nappies. It seems that the disposable nappies are so absorbant that the children don't associate weeing with feeling wet. These disposable nappy companies are really clever!

[fishy_taste]

Is there any point in buying bio degradable nappies if you live in Sheffield ?

We have been buying them (at extra cost....) due to guilt over used ones being in a landfill for God knows how many years before they bio degrade, but doesn`t Sheffield City Council incinerate most of its rubbish ? If that`s the case are we not just wasting our money ? ! ?

 

I have had many conversations with Veolia over the years about their waste management and recycling collection service and have an email from the head of waste management reporting various policies etc., that, if Shef Council attempt to start charging for black bin collections, I will forward to The Star and any other newspaper to bring a pile of rubbish (pun intended) to their doorstep.

 

Following a change in the blue bin policy not too long ago, where they decided not to collect two blue wheelie bins from a single dwelling (something they had continued to do from my address for 12 months AFTER the new policy was agreed!!!), I contacted Veolia to discuss why one blue bin had been collected, but the other had not.

 

Long story short, I was told by one of the waste management supervisors (I have his name, but I feel it unfair and unwise to publish it here) that roughly 80 to 90% of black bin collections get incinerated (which, in turn, goes to heat council buildings, thus reducing council energy costs).

 

So, I concluded - and the person I spoke agreed - putting recycling waste in the blue bin was a waste of time as almost all black bin rubbish does not go to landfill.

 

Incidentally, I have, through my current employment, had dealings with Viridor, SITA etc., so I know a fair bit about the waste management policies of various councils. The really bizarre thing is that the councils make money from collecting recycled goods - plastics, paper, green waste etc., (to varying degrees). So, to refuse (no pun intended) to collect extra recycled waste from a single property actually costs them potential income. Still, they can incinerate it and save energy costs.

 

Oh, and they can, no doubt, charge us, the householders, for collectinig the waste (that they make or save money on).

 

Nice little earner, eh?

 

Short answer to your question - no. And bung everything in the black bin, because most of it ends up being burned anyway (including the low grade plastic and paper waste!!)

[smog]

I wonder if using bio-degradable nappies, which are cellulose based rather than plastic, is actually better even when they are burnt, as the fumes are likely to be less polluting?

 

Also, we have only had a tumble dryer since our last child came out of nappies. My first child was born when we lived in a one bedroom flat and put the airer over the bath, AND had no central heating. So, save yourself some cash and invest in some terry nappies, have a go!

[Boing]

I used washable nappies with my first but wimped out with my second as it was just easier using disposables, but from an environmental point of view some say the washing of the nappies cancels out any benefit due to the energy used (even more so with a tumble drier, which we don't have) but I'd still say washable is better. We had Bambineo ones which were man-made (so not nice and organic) but dried really quickly and felt really soft. Still got them in fact if anyone wants them!

 

As for putting poo in the bin...I'd like to see any of you opposing it try to get baby poo out of a nappy! Yes you can buy disposable (or even washable) liners for the washable nappies but even then it can't be good flushing them (the liners) all down the loo. Soaking poo off nappies never has been my strong point ;-).

[Justin Smith]

I used washable nappies with my first but wimped out with my second as it was just easier using disposables, but from an environmental point of view some say the washing of the nappies cancels out any benefit due to the energy used (even more so with a tumble drier, which we don't have) but I'd still say washable is better. We had Bambineo ones which were man-made (so not nice and organic) but dried really quickly and felt really soft. Still got them in fact if anyone wants them!

 

As for putting poo in the bin...I'd like to see any of you opposing it try to get baby poo out of a nappy! Yes you can buy disposable (or even washable) liners for the washable nappies but even then it can't be good flushing them (the liners) all down the loo. Soaking poo off nappies never has been my strong point ;-).

 

With reference to the earlier point (that using disposables means it can take longer to toilet train a child) did you find any difference in how long it took to toilet train your two kids ?