A weighty nappy problem is being tackled by the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
Faced with eight tonnes being dumped every week, the council next month launches a reusable nappy initiative.
Nappy and sanitary material makes up about 3.4% of all waste disposed to landfill. One nappy is estimated to take 450-550 years to decompose.
One baby produces about two tonnes of disposable nappy waste over two and a-half years.
District solid waste manager Stefan Borowy, in a report to the infrastructure services committee, said $10,500 was budgeted to provide starter packs of reusable nappies to expectant and new mothers "as a means to divert waste from landfill".
The initiative could also save parents about $3000 over two and a-half years.
The council-subsidised starter packs consist of six reusable nappies for $10, and the council is to buy 120 packs from local suppliers.
Those eligible for the starter packs include expecting parents in their last trimester of pregnancy and parents of infants up to 9 months old.
Council plans to measure the overall level of success of the project through the number of starter and additional packs bought, feedback from parents and analysis of waste to landfill statistics.
The launch will take place in Queenstown at 11am on November 1 at ‘The Common Room' at the Queenstown Resort College,and at 11am on November 2 at the Wanaka Hotel Lounge ( beside The Cheeky Monkey Café).
