§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the total(a) energy, (b) resource use, (c) volume of waste and (d) water use; from (i) a real nappy and (ii) a disposable nappy; and if she will make an assessment of their overall relative environmental impacts. [99246]
§ Mr. MeacherThe environmental impact of disposable nappies is adverse; however we don't at present have quantifiable data on this.
The Environment Agency is currently carrying out a life cycle analysis which compares the environmental impact of re-usable a nd disposable nappies and clarifies information already contained in the existing life cycle analysis. We expect the work to be completed in early summer.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of(a) how many disposable nappies would be used if all those who used real nappies were to switch to the use of disposable nappies and (b) the overall environmental impact of such a change. [99248]
§ Mr. MeacherAssuming that 10 per cent. of parents use re-usable nappies (current estimates give a figure of 5 per cent. to 15 per cent.), a switch to disposable nappies is estimated to lead to a 0.2 per cent. to 0.3 per cent. increase in the proportion of the municipal waste stream constituted by nappies. This would increase the current level from 2 per cent. to 3 per cent. to approximately 2.2 per cent. to 3.3 per cent., and worsen the overall environmental impact, although the effects cannot at present be quantified.
The Environment Agency is currently carrying out a life cycle analysis which compares the environmental impact of re-usable and disposal nappies and clarifies information already contained in existing life cycle analysis. We expect the work will be completed in the early summer.