More bin space, less stink: nappy collections are a go

Greater Shepparton City Council have recently commenced their nappy and incontinence aid collection service, which focuses on clearing up space in the red-lidded rubbish bin and further diverting more waste to landfill.

They are the first council in Victoria to roll out this initiative as a council service.

Around 950 people have registered for the service across Greater Shepparton, which means there will be over a million fewer nappies in landfill each year.

Council’s manager for resource recovery, Liam Moller, said they’ve received an “overwhelmingly positive response” from the community on the service rollout so far.

“We have seen residents embrace the nappy collection service by setting up their own nappy disposal boxes, and residents are already noting an improved red lid bin capacity, which ensures we mitigate contamination in FOGO and recycling streams,” he said.

The introduction of this service comes after changes to curbside bin collections were made earlier this year for Kialla and Tatura and in early October for the rest of Greater Shepparton.

It followed a string of other councils who, over the years, have also implemented curbside bin collection changes in an effort to meet the Victorian Government directives for landfill diversion targets.

By 2025, the state needs to have been able to divert 72% of waste from landfill, and by 2030, they need to reach 80%.

Other targets include:

Cutting the total waste generation by 15 per cent per capita by 2030

Halving the volume of organics to landfill between 2020 and 2030 with an interim target of a 20 per cent reduction by 2025

Ensure every Victorian household has access to FOGO waste recycling services by 2030.

The nappy collection service will assist Greater Shepparton City Council in further reaching these targets.

Mr Moller said these targets can be achieved, which is why so many other councils have implemented similar changes in bin scheduling across the state.

“The frequency change, the trends observed from other municipalities working towards that objective, does work at a macro sense, and now it’s about the habit change for residents adapting to that different collection schedule,” he said.

“We appreciate that there’s definitely a challenge with change, but once we’ve become accustomed to that, as a community, we will achieve some really exciting outcomes in both an environmental and economic sense.”

Though the nappy collection service rollout timeline and the new curbside collection changes didn’t quite line up, making it hard for those disposing bulk loads of this waste, Mr Moller said it couldn’t be avoided.

“That technology (for nappy recycling) has recently become available, which is where we get that difference in availability or timing of the implementation of the bin rollout versus the nappy collection itself,” he said.

“So with that technology available, it made us think how can we ease the transition on ratepayers as we go to that weekly FOGO service because we are aware nappies are a key discussion point rolled out across other municipalities, and we’re pleased that we’re able to have the availability for that technology and to facilitate that service.”

The official processor for the nappy service is currently out for tender, so there is no charge for this service during the 2023/2024 financial year.

More details will come in June 2024 regarding potential charges for the next financial year.

To have nappies and incontinence aids collected, they need to be folded tightly and stored in a clear plastic bag and sat outside the household’s doorstep by 8am on the usual day for bin collection.

It is suggested that the nappy’s contents be removed, but it is not mandatory, and it’s important to note that wipes cannot be put in here.

To register for nappy collection, go to council’s website here tinyurl.com/35ujkj9t

To get a copy of your bin collection schedule calendar, visit tinyurl.com/537nktd8