Be one of the first to get your hands on the one size bamboo motherease nappy. Silky soft, super absorbent and naturally antibacterial the bamboo arrives in August keep an eye on our online shop for more details.

And Government funding for a three-year project to support real nappy schemes was not a waste of money but helped thousands of parents save money and waste by using real nappies and diverted 26,000 tonnes of disposable nappy waste from landfill.

Kay Wagland, WEN's Real Nappy Project Officer said: "Sadly the Minister was talking rubbish. It's a shame he didn't get his facts straight, rather than recycling the dangerous myth put about by the flawed and discredited Environment Agency report of two years ago that there's little environmental difference between washable and disposable nappies.

"Both the Agency and the Minister have missed a golden opportunity to tell parents their best options for reducing the overall impact of their nappy choices. By doing so they have confused parents and actually encouraged more damaging behaviour.

"Washable nappies are clearly better for the environment, even when you take account of the energy and water used to wash them. Using real nappies puts parents in control. With a good washing routine parents can minimise the environmental impact of their babies' nappies, reduce waste and save themselves money."

The Minister should have known that the Agency has conceded that the report was flawed and, as a consequence of criticisms, is conducting a review that will be more sensitive to the wide choice of real nappies available and the potential they offer to parents to reduce their impact.

The 2005 report based key assumptions on flawed data, which caused it to overestimate the impact of washing nappies. It also ignored the potential of modern, fitted cloth nappies, to reduce impacts.

WEN found that, even on the basis of the flawed data in the report, parents can reduce global warming impacts by 24% more than the report concluded. A 17% reduction in global warming impacts can be achieved by using an A rated washing machine and following manufacturers' guidance to wash at 60oC. With A rated washing machine sales at near saturation by early 2005 many real nappy users are already achieving this saving.  Parents only need use 24 real nappies, rather than the 47 the LCA assumes, reducing their global warming impact by another 6.9%.

This advantage can be even greater if organic cotton, hemp or bamboo nappies are chosen and locally supplied and if nappies are used on a second or third child.

Mr Bradshaw's reply drew media coverage critical of the Government's funding of the Real Nappy Campaign, a three-year project by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the agency tasked with implementing the Government's waste minimisation strategy. 

Kay Wagland said: "Because the real nappy market is still comparatively small and because there are so many choices, parents need help to find the best nappies for them and their baby. WRAP's Campaign made information and support much easier to find and interest in real nappies mushroomed as a result.

"The funding was always due to end this year but it's a shame that it isn't continuing because the demand from parents - and health professionals and local authority waste officers - is still there.

"Arguably the Real Nappy Campaign would have been even more successful if the Environment Agency hadn't put out its contradictory report half way through the programme."

WEN is aware of exasperation of parents who are experienced with real nappies and local authority waste minimisation officers who have investigated real nappy facts to help reduce their nappy waste mountain, due to the spread of misinformation.

Gone are the days of soaking and boiling terries, folding and pins. Technology has caught up here as everywhere and low temperature washes of shaped nappies with poppers or Velcro in new, soft and absorbent fabrics are the norm.

Every day we throw away enough disposable nappies to fill four and a half double decker buses. They can also take up to 500 years to decompose in the ground.

But there is an alternative. Reusable nappies are better for the environment, help you cut the amount of rubbish you put out and could also save you hundreds of pounds.

Forget the old terry squares, nappy pins and plastic pants. Modern reusable nappies are as convenient and easy to use as disposables. They come in all sorts of trendy and colourful styles and you can wash them at home or use a nappy laundry service for between £6 and £9 per week.

The Council is part of a Lancashire wide project -the Bottom Line -to raise awareness of modern reusable nappies. The Bottom Line Real Nappy Project, together with local real nappy businesses, are offering you £45 towards to the cost of reusable nappies (£70 for two or more children).

To qualify for the incentive, you must live in Blackburn with Darwen and either have a baby under 18 months or be expecting a baby before March 31, 2008.

Cheryl O’Reilly, from Pitter Patter Baby, a local reusable nappy supplier, put on a display at Blackburn Town Hall. Matthew Woodford, 29, of Hayhurst Road, his partner Susan Reilly, 21, and their seven-month-old son Shea visited the display.

“I have never heard of these reusable nappies before. They are certainly different to the old terry nappies. It is something we may look into,”said Matthew.

For information on how to apply for your Bottom Line voucher, log onto blackburn.gov.uk or call 0845 0500 957.

Some parents will always prefer a cotton product, which is why Tots Bots has produced and organic version of the well loved cotton nappy.

Organic production systems are designed to replenish and maintain soil fertility and eliminate the use of toxic pesticides and fertilisers. Making the world a better place to live. The new organic tots are produced in Turkey - which is the world's largest producer of organic cotton. The finished nappies are then shipped by truck - cutting down on the amount of fossil fuels used in the whole production process.

The organic cotton nappy is soft, absorbent and most importantly chemical free - making it the ideal nappy for sensitive skin.