The Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) has launched a new project in February 2026 to help families in Bootle, Merseyside, save money and reduce waste by switching to reusable (washable) nappies. The regional initiative — funded through MRWA’s Zero Waste Community Fund 2025/26 — aims to divert nappy waste from landfill while providing financial relief to local parents.
Families in the area can apply for free trial kits, borrow from lending libraries or receive vouchers worth up to £50 to help with the cost of buying reusable nappies. Successful applicants are required to complete a short online workshop on nappy care and maintenance before receiving a kit or voucher; the scheme uses South Sefton Household Waste Recycling Centre (Irlam Road, Bootle) as a local distribution point. Around 8–10% of the average household residual bin in Merseyside is estimated to be nappies, making this a target area for waste reduction.
Local officials say switching from disposable to reusable nappies can save parents more than £500 per child over time. Independent guidance (MoneyHelper) notes there is an upfront cost to reusable nappies but that long‑term savings can be substantial for household budgets. The project is financed by the Zero Waste Community Fund 2025/26 and, as with other projects in that funding cycle, must complete delivery by the end of March 2026.
The nappy project follows Sefton Council’s ‘sacks to bins’ initiative. Sefton began planning a switch from black bin bags to grey wheeled bins in late 2024, with rollout planned and underway through 2025; reducing heavy, non‑recyclable items such as used nappies is expected to make the new bin collections more efficient and help keep local streets cleaner.
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