Did you know that eight million disposable nappies end up in landfill daily in the UK? 

These take 500 years to decompose, regardless of claiming otherwise! Despite much publicity to the contrary, they are still being flushed down the toilet, causing multiple blockages.

What does a disposable nappy consist of? Firstly there's a 'top sheet', which is usually made of polypropylene (i.e. plastic). 

Then there's the core of the nappy and this is formed of cellulose pulp and sodium polyacrylate. The latter is a substance which is incredibly absorbent and it it enters the drains/sewers in large quantities, causes serious clogging. 

Thirdly, there's a 'back sheet', also made of more polypropylene. Finally, the nappies are packaged in yet more plastic!

And there are the plastic fastening tabs and the elastic around the legs and let's not forget the disposable scented plastic nappy bag. Quite a lot of pieces of single-use plastic per nappy,  which all as a huge toll on the environment.

Nappies that are sold as biodegradable, don't biodegrade because waste materials need oxygen to do that, which is lacking in landfill sites. They will leach chemicals for years to come. Neither should they go in the composting. 

Here's what Lucy Siegle, in her book 'Turning the Tide on Plastic', reports: "A dear friend, whose green values compelled her to use compostable nappies for her eldest son, tells me she still comes across them from time to time when digging her garden. 

"The nappies are pretty much intact. Her son is 14. That's what we term an eco fail, albeit a well-meaning one."

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) says: "The UK disposes of around 3 billion disposable nappies each year, representing an estimated 2% to 3% of all household waste.

"By the time one baby is potty trained, the baby could use 4,000 to 6,000 disposable nappies. In comparison, a baby only needs around 20 to 30 modern real nappies and these can also be used by any siblings that come along.

"Although real nappies cost a few pounds each initially and need to be laundered, real nappies can save parents around £200 to £500 over 2.5 years for their first baby and even more if re-used for subsequent children."

It can be such a difficult choice for very busy parents between convenience and the cost to the environment. but it may be worth investigating the re-useable alternatives; there are many on the market.

In addition, with disposable nappies, can you be sure that they contain no dyes, no chlorine, no synthetic fragrances nor other chemicals, as there is no legal requirement to disclose these ingredients?

The skin of babies is very thin and very delicate and with so many thousands of disposable nappies being used, as described above, can you be sure that the cumulative effect is best for a baby. 

HELP IS AT HAND! Local advice is available from Claire Rogie of Axminster Baby Cafe. The group meets on Friday mornings from 10am to 11.30am at Pippins Community Centre in Lyme Road. For more details visit www.facebook.com/AxminsterBabyCafe or www.recycledevon.org/nappies

For more details on Plastic Free Axminster, visit www.facebook.com/groups/plasticfreeaxminster