The latest paper and policy recommendations from Policy Connect, paint a pretty clear picture: nappies are a big, messy problem in the UK. Around 3.6 billion are used every year, and most end up being burned. That means carbon emissions, microplastics, and rising costs that ultimately feed back into councils, services, and families. And with those costs expected to increase, it’s not something that can just be quietly managed anymore—it needs rethinking from the beginning.

What’s refreshing about this discussion is the tone and direction the recommendations are heading. After 30 years of a single-minded, largely unsuccessful, 'encourage re-use' stance, the latest recommendations recognise something most parents already know: there’s no one “perfect” solution that works for every family, every day. Life with babies is busy, unpredictable, and often exhausting. So rather than pushing a single answer and placing the guilt-burden on parents, the report leans into a more realistic idea—build a system that supports families with a variety of options.

REDUCE: 

The advent of daytime Size 9 nappies on shelf from big brands aimed at 5-8 year olds has signalled a worrying trend and the government is keen to counteract this with clear messaging and guidance. Through information, healthcare services and nursery provisions, all messaging should reflect the latest guidance to start toilet training between 18-24 months.

REUSE:

Reusables absolutely have a role, and for some families they work brilliantly—especially with better support through nurseries or managed laundry services. But the report is honest: uptake is still low, largely because of time, logistics, and practicality. That’s not a failure of parents; it’s a sign the system hasn’t made it easy enough and is not well-suited to the average 2-working-parent or single-parent model of the 21st century.

COMPOST:

For the first time, the recommendations add a third layer to the system review; accepting that over 90% of parents do want to use disposable nappies, the recommendations instigate a full investigation into the materials we use to make these products and a systematic review of the various end-of-life processes available to ensure we a fully circular recycle/compost process is established across the UK. 

Recycling: Right now, traditional disposable nappies are fundamentally hard to deal with. They’re made with fossil fuel plastics and complex materials that don’t break down easily, which is why they’re mostly incinerated. Recycling technologies are emerging, and they’re promising, but they’re not yet available at the scale needed and the model assumes the continued use of plastic and fossil fuels. Recycling elongates the take-make-waste journey but it does not create a circular model. 

Composting: This is where plant-based nappies start to make real sense within the bigger picture. By using renewable, plant-based materials instead of plastic, these nappies reduce reliance on fossil fuels from the outset and they’re designed to compost back into soil; releasing valuable nutrients and reducing waste completely. 

Looking ahead, they fit neatly into the kind of circular future the report is pointing towards. If the UK invests in better organic waste processing and composting solutions, plant-based nappies could become part of a more natural, circular system—returning to the earth rather than sitting in landfill, being burned, or being repurposed as yet another plastic waste material for the future. 

Next Steps

The policy recommendations reflect this bigger shift. Government is being urged to step in with:

• a researched national strategy
• introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility
• research and implementation of improved material design
• investment in infrastructure that creates circularity

The direction of travel is clear: more responsibility on governments and brands to develop products and systems that work for busy families today and create a more circular future tomorrow.

If you are keen to see this change made as quickly as possible, please do join us and sign our petition to set a timeframe for all brands to design plastic out of their products