A Strathbogie Shire trial program is offering rebates for cloth nappies in an attempt to help the environment.
Up to $150, or 50 per cent of the purchase price, of reusable nappies and associated products can now be reclaimed under Strathbogie Shire’s trial program.
Council created the trial to help families make the switch to cloth nappies for their little ones. Not only will it reduce landfill, it will also help lower participants’ household costs.
Strathbogie Shire Mayor Laura Binks said that even factoring in the washing of cloth nappies, they were still a better choice both financially and for the planet.
“Most babies need about 6500 nappy changes, which is about 19 wheelie bins of disposable nappies heading to landfill (taking 500 years to decompose),” Cr Binks said.
“Buying disposables until a child is toilet trained is estimated to cost up to $3000, but a new set of modern cloth nappies is about $800, even less with our cloth nappy rebate.”
Euroa mum-of-four Hannah Capstick has switched to cloth nappies for the newest addition to her family, Matilda.
She initially believed them to be too expensive, but found the council rebate to be a great incentive.
After trying them, she believes they are well worth the initial outlay.
“I would definitely recommend the fitted cloth nappies to other parents. I wish I had tried them earlier,” she said.
Ms Capstick rinses the nappies on a rinse cycle in the washing machine before putting them in with the family’s general washing.
The cloth nappy reimbursement program trial opened on May 1 and will close on November 30.
To claim the reimbursement, Strathbogie Shire residents must provide proof of residence and receipt of purchase.
Application forms are available at https://tinyurl.com/esua6226 or you can email info@strathbogie.vic.gov.au for more information.