Changing nappies: understanding the persistence of disposable nappies and evaluating the potential of compostable nappy services
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2024
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Disposable nappies have contributed significantly to global plastic waste since the 1980s, with efforts like recycling, bans, and subsidies for reusable nappies largely ineffective. Concurrently, innovative nappy solutions offer promising avenues, underscored by the United Nations’ development of a treaty on plastic waste. This research addresses the dominance of disposable nappies and assesses the feasibility of a compostable nappy service as a sustainable alternative, applying Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) and Social Practice Theory (SPT) frameworks to analyse industry dynamics and household behaviours.
The study is structured in three phases. First, it uses MLP to examine macro-level dynamics and identify key stakeholders. The second phase applies SPT in a field trial involving 20 families to assess a compostable nappy service, highlighting price, convenience and reliability as influential factors. Finally, the study identifies barriers that reinforce disposable nappy use and suggests interventions for more sustainable alternatives.
This research advances the literature by uniquely applying MLP and SPT to the nappy industry, exploring niche-regime interactions and pathways for sustainable transitions. It emphasises the need for systemic interventions and nappy practice shifts to reduce the environmental impacts of disposable nappy waste globally.
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