In a first for a New Zealand aged-care facility, Pacific Coast Village in Pāpāmoa is trialling an innovative way to reduce the amount of incontinence products it sends to landfill.
They are replacing some of these products with reusable incontinence underwear for residents.
The impact of disposable nappies on the environment is widely understood, but an even greater problem in New Zealand is the amount of disposable incontinence products ending up in its landfills.
Incontinence pads account for 34% of all waste Pacific Coast Village sends to landfill – that’s more than 4000kg a year. A recent Australian study predicts adult incontinence waste will be four to 10 times greater than baby nappies by 2030, due to an aging population.
“We wanted to find a dignified solution to a delicate problem. Incontinence affects many people and can be accompanied by embarrassment and social isolation, so any solution to incontinence product waste has to put people’s physical and emotional welfare first,” says Erika Rans, Pacific Coast Village Operations Manager.
A number of residents are taking part, trialling a New Zealand-designed reusable underwear product, made from organic cotton, and designed to out-perform disposable products in comfort and ease of use.
After the first month of the trial, participants said they were highly satisfied with the product.
“Initial feedback from the trial has been very positive, and we're now exploring how this approach could be expanded across the wider Generus Living group,” said Erika. “The outcomes and learnings from this case study will also help inform the broader aged care sector, which is following the trial with strong interest.”
The trial has been made possible by the support of Tauranga City Council’s Resource Wise Community Fund, which supports local organisations and businesses who have innovative solutions for reducing the amount of waste ending up in local landfills.
Tauranga City Council’s Sustainability and Waste Manager, Dan Smith, says the trial is a great example of the type of local initiative the Resource Wise Community Fund is designed to support.
“Pacific Coast’s project has potential to have a huge impact on waste reduction, not only in our city, but importantly nationwide,” Dan says.
Alongside the reusable incontinence underwear trial, Pacific Coast Village is implementing a broader waste reduction programme. This includes educational workshops and ongoing communication to encourage environmentally responsible practices among residents and staff, as well as a comprehensive review of waste systems within the care facility, with several new initiatives introduced as part of the project.
Applications are now open for the 2025/26 Resource Wise Community Fund, which offers between $2,000-$25,000 to an organisation or business who wants to deliver effective waste minimisation projects that align with Tauranga City Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2022-2028.
The fund is intended to remove monetary barriers for organisations and businesses keen to reduce waste and promote waste reduction in Tauranga. The Resource Wise Community Fund ($100,000 annually for distribution) is sourced from the Waste Levy, provided to councils by the Ministry for the Environment for waste minimisation education, and does not impose additional costs on general rates.
For more information visit tauranga.govt.nz/waste
| Image caption | Resource Wise Community Fund recipient 2024 |