Hospital using washable nappies

Newborn babies are to be put in washable nappies at Jersey's General Hospital as part of a trial scheme.

The two-month trial is being carried out to reduce the amount of disposable nappies.

About five million nappies are thrown away every year, accounting for about 3% of island waste, the Transport and Technical Services Department said.

The hospital's maternity unit will be using washable nappies to encourage new mothers to use them.

It is thought that only 30 nappies will be needed at the unit and that the cost, including washing them, would be about half the price of using disposables.