Return of the reusable nappy and menstrual products rebate

Published: 02 Sep 2022 3:00pm

Council will once again offer a rebate on reusable nappies and menstrual products after last year’s successful trial prevented approximately 33,315 kilos of waste going into landfill.

The initiative gives residents from the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area the opportunity to apply for a rebate after purchasing reusable nappies and menstrual products.

The response for the initial trial in 2021 exceeded all expectations, with Council receiving a total of 232 applications; 70 for reusable nappies and 162 for reusable menstrual products.

Council’s Manager - Commercial Businesses Ray Graham said he was pleased the rebate was being extended, noting that Council would focus on encouraging the community to start using reusable nappies as part of an overall strategy to reduce waste that ends up in landfill.

“The average baby goes through 2500 nappies per year,” Mr Graham said.

“A used disposable nappy, on average, weighs approximately 195 grams, so you’re looking at around 485 kilos going straight to landfill each year per baby, which is quite unbelievable.

“Swapping to disposable nappies is an easy way to instantly stop that extensive amount of waste ending up in landfill.”

A study undertaken in the United Kingdom in April of this year indicates the estimated use of menstrual products by the average person over their lifetime can be between 40 and 80 kilos.

Based on a 40-year span, this equates to approximately 2 kilos per person each year.

“We were really pleased with the uptake for the reusable menstrual products rebate last year,” Mr Graham said.

“Now we’re hoping to increase the community’s applications for the reusable nappy rebates, given that disposable nappies generate an extensive amount of waste.

“Switching to reusable is so much kinder to our environment and, over the lifetime of the product, is much cheaper than constantly having to purchase new disposable products.”

In line with the new focus on nappies, the terms of the extended rebate have been updated, with Council implementing a two-part rebate system that distinguishes between nappies and menstrual products, recognising the overall impact on the waste stream.

The updated rebate offers a 50 per cent rebate on the purchase price of nappies, up to a maximum of $100 per child, and a 50 per cent rebate on the purchase price of reusable menstrual products, up to a maximum of $50 per person.

The trial rebate will be extended between 1 September 2022 and 30 June 2024, with products purchased during this period by residents living within the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area eligible.

For more information visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/reusableproductsrebate