Monash Council is among 12 Councils working together to research and understand how to implement a best practice reusable nappy program to reduce waste to landfill.
The Best Practice Reusable Nappy Program – Feasibility Study, led by Monash Council, has been awarded up to $80,000 from Sustainability Victoria, through the Victorian Government's Recycling Victoria Councils Fund.
As Councils introduce food waste recycling services, disposable nappies are becoming one of the most significant waste issues, comprising between 5-15 per cent of waste in household bins.
Approximately two billion disposable nappies end up in landfill per year in Australia and it can take up to 500 years for nappies to break down.
The feasibility study will engage with parents to understand current barriers to using reusable nappies and will benchmark existing programs from other Councils to reach target audiences, meet parents' needs, and evaluate the effectiveness of programs to reduce waste and change behaviour.
The collaborative campaign between councils hopes to understand and break down barriers to using reusable nappies in different parent demographics and allows for the sharing of costs and resources, increasing the likelihood of an ongoing reusable program.
The participating municipalities include Bayside City Council, Glen Eira City Council, City of Greater Dandenong, Knox City Council, Maribyrnong City Council, Maroondah City Council, City of Monash, Moonee Valley City Council, Nillumbik Shire Council, Stonnington City Council and Yarra Ranges Council.
Monash Mayor Brian Little said the feasibility study would offer valuable insights into how Councils can better support their residents to make more environmentally-friendly choices.
"We know Monash residents want to do all they can to reduce their waste to landfill and this study will allow us to understand how we can better support them to do so," Cr Little said.
"The feasibility study will evaluate the best model to provide incentives to use reusable nappies, which in turn diverts waste from landfill and represents a cost saving to residents due to lower waste levy charges."
The study will recommend a best practice model to achieve waste reduction, assist and support parents, to increase the circular economy and to create the basis for behaviour change across Victoria.
