Each baby uses a tonne of disposable nappies

The charity Groundwork wants to build the �1m facility which would process nearly 20,000 tonnes of waste every year in Ashfield or Mansfield.

At present the waste - each baby uses around a tonne of nappies - ends up in landfill sites.

Even the baby waste can be processed and used as a fertiliser on woodland or flower fields.

Philip Bithall from the charity said: "A dry nappy is mainly made up of paper and a bit of plastic to stop it leaking.

"They can be quite easily extracted and recycled.

"It gets a bit more difficult with the various specialist polymers used to absorb moisture but even they can be recycled and reused."

A feasibility study in favour of the plan has already been carried out by the environmental charity.