How green is your baby?

More and more London parents are going green in a bid to keep their children allergy-free.

In the wake of statistics showing that one in four children develop asthma at some point, and one in eight have eczema, parents are not only buying organic foodstuffs, they are also trying to remove potentially dangerous chemicals from all areas of their children's lives. Here's all you need to know about being a greener parent ...

Bottles

Most plastic baby bottles are made of polycarbons which, as the bottle becomes worn, can leach the chemical Bisphenol A, which has been shown to disrupt hormone levels in animals, even in small quantities.

Glass feeding bottles do not pose the same potential threat. As a result, the type used by our grandmother's generation are making a comeback. Or, you can choose nonpolycarbonate plastic bottles, available from Mothercare, 020 7629 6621.

Heat-resistant glass bottles, from Green Baby (£12.50 for six 250ml bottles), 345 Upper Street, N1, www. greenbabyco.com, 020 7226 4345.

Nappies

Some eight million disposable nappies are thrown out every day in Britain, and they will take generations to decompose in landfill sites. Reusable terry towel nappies are substantially cheaper - and greener. The average family could save about £800 over 30 months by using traditional fabric nappies instead of throwaways. Reusable nappies will last from newborn through to pottytraining, and can be used again by the next child.

They do, of course, mean extra washloads - at least two full loads a week in the average washing machine (twice as much for a newborn). If washing soiled nappies holds little appeal, there are nappylaundering services all over London which cost around £7.50-£9.50 a week - - which brings the cost back on a par with using disposables.

If you do opt for reusable nappies, which brand should you buy? Mother-ease, Earthwise and Bambino Mio come highly recommended. Stockists include Lilliput, 020 8542 3542 (SW19, SW8), Little Green Earthlets, 01825 873 301, (SW15) and Green Baby, N1, as before.

For laundry services, call the National Association of Nappy Services (Nans) on 0121 693 4949, or visit www.changeanappy.co.uk. The largest central London service is No 1 for Nappies on 08700 502 402 or www. numberonefornappies.co.uk.

Cutlery

Nickel - often used to make stainless steel - can cause an allergic reaction when it comes in contact with skin.

Very sensitive skins can develop dermatitis or eczema, so many green parents check out exactly what their babies' spoons and forks are made from. Nickel-free stainlesssteel cutlery set, (knife, fork and spoon) with PVC-free decorated handles, £3.99 a set. From Green Baby, as before.

Clothing

It takes around a pound of chemicals to produce one cotton T-shirt. Around 40 per cent of all American cotton is genetically engineered and the crop consumes 15 per cent of the world's pesticides and 25 per cent of insecticides. Once harvested, fabrics are often coloured with toxic dyes - which is why many concerned parents are now looking for more environmentally-friendly fabric, which might also protect their children from skin allergies.

Organic cotton is soft to the touch, and London has several shops that stock both organic clothing and bedding. Green Baby has a good selection at its Islington shop, or to order via the internet. (Organic Egyptian cotton baby bodysuits £4.99, boy's hemp trousers £19.99, hemp dress with wooden buttons and patch pocket, £25.99). Little Green Earthlets, as before, has a range of super-soft organic wool baby clothing and organic cotton clothing.

Call 01825 873 301 for a catalogue or visit the website at www.earthlets. co.uk. Clothworks.co.uk has a small selection of baby clothes in organic cotton (charcoal-grey polo neck, £15) and children's bedding (£28 for an organic cotton sheet).

Most Wellington boots are made from PVC, which releases toxic dioxins when burned (which is likely to happen when they are thrown away). Green Baby's wellies are made of natural rubber, £13.99.

Plastics

Small children mean plastic toys. Grown-ups put up with them as they are deemed hygienic, because they are washable. But chemicals used in plastic manufacture such as phthalates (the stuff that makes plastic bend, not splinter) may have a bioaccumulative effect on hormone levels. More enlightened companies use alternatives to make toys, teethers and dummies.

For a guide on safer toys, check out Friends of the Earth's chemicals league table at www.foe.co.uk/saferchemicals.

? To receive information on green parenting from Friends of the Earth, call 020 7490 1555.