Subsidised Cloth Nappies Available for Mackenzie Babies

New parents can now pick up a pack of subsidised cloth nappies from council offices.

The cloth nappies have a retail value of about $100 per pack, but a limited number of packs are being offered to parents at $20. The idea is to reduce the amount of waste going to council landfill and educate parents on the benefits of cloth nappies.

Mackenzie District Council’s solid waste manager Angie Taylor says if 50 parents use the cloth nappies provided by the council, instead of disposables, it could remove up to nine tonnes of waste from landfill.

Using cloth nappies can also save parents up to $4000 per child on disposable nappies if they are used full time. Even using cloth nappies part time, for example during the day and disposables at night, can have very worthwhile savings.

“Modern cloth nappies provide a more user-friendly alternative to traditional cloth nappies. They are easy to use, easy to wash and are becoming quite trendy. Two of the challenges for parents is the initial cost and deciding on what type of cloth nappy to buy. So these packs are a great help to getting started.”

Parents can pick up a cloth nappy pack from Mackenzie District Council offices in Fairlie and Twizel. The following conditions apply:

• Each pack costs $20.
• Each pack contains three different brands of cloth nappy, plus free samples and offers from sponsors and an information booklet on using cloth nappies.
• Only one pack per family.
• Nappy packs are for Mackenzie residents only. You will need to bring proof of your address when you collect your pack (e.g. a power account addressed to you).
• You will need to provide your contact details so we can contact you later to ask a few questions on how you have found using the cloth nappies.

About 50 new babies are born in the Mackenzie District each year and there will be 50 nappy packs available. Not all parents of new babies want to use cloth nappies, so the packs are also available to parents with older babies. But the nappy packs will only be available until they run out.

The cost of subsidising the nappies is not coming from council rates, but from a grant the Mackenzie District Council receives from the Ministry for the Environment to fund waste reduction and education projects.

Did you know:
A cloth nappy is used about 300 times.
One cloth nappy used 300 times removes 60kg of waste from landfill.

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