The Council's Three Waters and Waste Portfolio Leader, Councillor Ngaire Best, says due to Envirocomp's growing nappy collection infrastructure now in place across Wellington, the Council is in a position to increase its support for New Zealand's first nappy composting service.
"Recycling and increased waste diversion from landfills are key aims for Wellington City Council and other councils in the region. It's fantastic that there is an industry-derived solution helping to reduce the undeniable environmental impact of disposable nappies.
"It would be safe to say that while disposable nappies are a boon to busy parents, their smelly contents generate large amounts of methane when they end up in landfills. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas - so the fewer nappies that end up in our landfills, the better."
As well as the subsidy, Southern Landfill's Second Treasures shop is the newest site where people who are signed up to the Envirocomp scheme will be able to drop their nappy disposal bags off.
Canterbury-based Envirocomp opened its second compost plant in the Hutt Valley last October. Envirocomp Director Karen Upston says more than 7000 tonnes of sanitary hygiene products go into Canterbury and Wellington region landfills each year and Envirocomp's two plants are set to compost around 25 percent of this.
"The market size for sanitary hygiene products in the Wellington region is similar to that in Canterbury, meaning about a quarter of New Zealanders now have access to the service. Envirocomp is thrilled Wellington City Council has got behind this innovative New Zealand business by providing subsidies for its residents."
Envirocomp is a user-pays environmentally friendly nappy disposal business. Customers buy the nappy disposal bags, which they drop off to bins located around the city. The nappies are then composted at a special processing plant in Hutt Valley. The material is then turned into pathogen-free compost.
As well as at Second Treasures, other drop-off bins are at the Childspace Wilton Early Learning Centre on Wilton Road, Medway Street by New World in Island Bay, Childspace Ngaio Early Learning Centre on Tarikaka Street and on Heriot Drive in Porirua.
Envirocomp is looking for suitable drop-off sites for Newtown, Brooklyn/Aro Valley, Kilbirnie, Strathmore Park/Miramar and our northern suburbs.
For information on the service and how to subscribe go to:
Envirocomp