THE DUCHESS OF YORK: I’m on a mission to rid nappies of plastic – with my fifth grandchild on the way

In a few months I will become a grandmother for the fifth time. August, Ernest, Sienna and Wolfie will be joined by another beautiful boy or girl as our family grows again.

As all grandmothers know, family life, from storytime to teatime to naps, is a practical affair – not least when it comes to changing nappies. Over the course of my life, I have been no stranger to it! When my first grandchild was born, I rolled up my sleeves as if the thirty-year hiatus had never happened.

As I saw diaper after diaper thrown into the trash, I started to wonder: What are these diapers made of and where do they go? When I researched them, I was amazed: they are full of plastic waste, all of which is harmful to our environment.

Diapers are one of the biggest contributors to the global plastic waste crisis, according to the UN, and researchers say each baby will use around 4,000 of them. More than 380,000 diapers are thrown away every minute worldwide, and the World Economic Forum says it produces almost 40 million tons of waste every year.

Since the birth of my daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, awareness of plastic pollution and the damage it causes has increased dramatically.

(L to R) Princess Beatrice of York, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Princess Eugenie of York attend The Anti Slavery Collective’s Inaugural Winter Gala at Battersea Arts Center on November 29, 2023 in London

Princess Beatrice pictured with daughter Sienna

Eugenie’s children – and the Duchess of York’s grandchildren – August (left) and Ernest

The fight against plastic waste has been relentless, not least through the Daily Mail’s campaign against the scourge of plastic bags in supermarkets, and has led to major changes.

But while more aspects of our lives have become plastic-free, the sheer amount of pollution caused by diapers has rarely been discussed.

I want that to change. When I started researching this issue, Eugenie was introduced to experts tackling this problem, as well as the UN Special Envoy for the Oceans, Peter Thomson, and his wife Marijcke. He showed me the scale of the challenge, and the toll this kind of plastic pollution is taking on some of the most beautiful natural habitats in the world.

When my grandchildren arrived, I tried to find plastic-free diapers that were 100 percent compostable for Beatrice and Eugenie, leaving no waste or contamination. But it just wasn’t possible.

That’s why today I’m launching a global campaign to get the world away from plastic-filled diapers.

The Greater Good is a global organization that I lead, with experts who have been involved in the sector for decades. I can’t think of a more appropriate place to launch this campaign than the island nation of Samoa, a country particularly affected by plastic pollution.

Just a few weeks ago, leaders from around the world flew to the island for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting and signed the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, committing to improving our oceans and protecting them from pollution.

Earlier this year, Beatrice shared a photo of husband Edo, daughter Sienna and stepson Wolfie walking through the woods

Beatrice shares a photo of her daughter: Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi

Sienna Mapelli Mozzi and her older cousin August Brooksbank at London Zoo last year to celebrate Earth Day

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, (2L) with her children at Pisa airport before leaving for London in 1997

Sarah, pictured on the evening of the coronation concert on May 7 last year, with Beatrice and Eugenie

As world leaders’ eyes turn to Cop29 in Azerbaijan this week, I have landed in Samoa to launch this campaign and meet the people working on our projects.

In Samoa and other similar places such as Vanuatu and Tuvalu, disposable diapers are responsible for almost 30 percent of household waste.

These island nations see first-hand the impact of the global addiction to plastic. Plastic in our oceans is destroying fragile ecosystems and harming the environment in these beautiful coastal communities.

So what exactly are we doing?

Here in Samoa, the Greater Good Campaign has designed, refined and delivered an innovative solution, using high-quality diapers that are composted in the community to create a safe, nutrient-rich soil in six to eight weeks.

With the support of the Samoan government, the project has proven that for every 100 babies, 700 kilos of plastic waste is eliminated every week. Women are at the center of this project. We have employed and trained 18 women, many of whom have never had a job before, to manage the delivery, collection and composting of these nappies.

Much more needs to be done. This campaign starts in the South Pacific, but will end with governments, businesses and societies working together around the world to make compostable diapers a reality.

If we take a serious look at solutions being developed in places like Samoa, we can start to reduce the significant amount of plastic produced by diapers around the world. And if we can do this well, the prize is significant.

With a new grandchild coming into the world, and my career as a diaper changer about to restart, I’m incredibly optimistic about the future of our planet, and it’s entirely thanks to projects like this that help protect the world . oceans so that our babies can grow up and enjoy plastic-free fun.