Eco-nappies sample pack offered

Modern washable nappies can be self-fastening

A sample pack of cloth nappies is being offered for £10 to mothers by a county council in a bid to steer them away from disposable alternatives.

The pack contains over £25 worth of items, including shaped cloth nappies, waterproof covers and flushable liners.

It also comes with a £10 voucher redeemed when purchasing further cloth nappies or joining a laundry service.

Switching to reusable nappies could cut the 330,000 disposables sent to Essex landfills every day, a spokesman said.

Disposable nappies contain plastics and gels which could take hundreds of years to decompose, the spokesman said.

"Modern reusable nappies are soft, breathable and reliable, and do not require soaking after each use.

"Many are fastened using poppers, Velcro or plastic grips, so there is no longer any need for complicated folding or safety pins."