A GROUP of Wagga mothers are urging councillors to support a proposal to provide rebates to families making the switch from disposal to reusable nappies.
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Alannah Huntly has created a petition requesting that Wagga City Council provide rebates for residents who have purchased cloth nappies, which she said could also provide a solution for the contentious red bin dilemma.
Like many Wagga families, Miss Huntly said her general waste bin was overflowing with smelly, dirty nappies until she made the decision to switch to reusable.
She admitted it was a choice she was hesitant to make because disposable nappies were just what everyone used.
"The idea of when I had my first human enter the world, I was effectively going to be generating all this waste ... that would be around for up to 500 years terrified me," she said.
"That is the next 10 generations of my family, who are still going to be living in a world where the waste I created still exists."
But, with a vocal community complaining that the red bins are too small, Miss Huntly said the rebate initiative could be a solution that has proven success in other local government areas like Albury.
"I hope it is something they will look at and give us the opportunity to make some change in this area of waste reduction," she said.
Wagga councillor Vanessa Keenan said offering rebates for parents buying reusable nappies is an initiative worth exploring because the "ultimate goal" is to reduce waste and divert from landfill.
If these types of initiatives could assist the council in achieving this, then Cr Keenan said it is a conversation worth having.
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"It is important to recognise that reusable nappies aren't for everyone, but for those where it is an option if that's an extra initiative to encourage them to go down that path, then I think that's worth looking at," she said.
"It is all about diverting from landfill and ... where we find those opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle, then where it's possible and feasible, make the most of it."
Miss Huntly and local mum Leanna Gow have also started an Instagram page The Fairy Cloth Mothers for anyone with questions about reusable nappies.