If you’re using biodegradable nappies and wipes because they don’t make your baby break out in a rash – fabulous! TERRA Biodegradable nappies are made from plant-based materials and are free from harmful chemicals and plastics, so they tend to be gentler on your baby’s delicate skin.
Biodegradable nappies are still the preferred choice of disposables for both the baby and the environment since they are not manufactured with petrochemicals or other eco-unfriendly materials or skin irritants. They are an even better choice if you can compost them.
How to compost biodegradable nappies/diapers at home
You can compost nappies yourself, but there are a few things you’ll need to know.
First, only compost pee-filled nappies (not poop-filled diapers), because home composters don’t get hot enough to kill pathogens. That means you won’t be able to use the compost in your flower garden after it breaks down… and you definitely wouldn’t want to use it in your food garden.
To make sure the (pee) nappies break down effectively, be sure to add a mix of browns (e.g., dried leaves) and greens (e.g., fresh-cut grass and fruit & vegetable kitchen waste) to your composter. Also, be sure to turn the compost every 2-3 weeks to oxygenate the pile.
You can then use the finished compost for grass, shrubs, flowers and other non-edible plants. Again, never use home-composted diapers in food gardens.
How long does it take for a compostable nappies/diaper to break down?
The length of time it takes to break down a biodegradable nappies depends on the type of composter you’re using.
- If you’re using a compost tumbler or a simple open-air pile, the diapers will compost in roughly 12 months.
- A hot composting bin will accelerate the process by a 3-4 months.
Prepare your compost bin by placing a 30cm deep layer of dense high carbon amendments (dry leaves, shredded paper, dried grass, toilet paper rolls etc). If you are composting large amount of nappies do not use worm bins, because the worms won’t be able to handle the large volume of dirty nappies your baby generates.
Watch this video to know more:
Some cities allow you to composting nappies — most don’t
The industrial composters at your city or town’s facilities can reach high enough temperatures to break down nappies and kill any pathogens. (This includes both pee diapers and poop diapers.)
The thing is, some cities accept biodegradable nappies in the compost bin, but most do not. You’ll need to call your municipal waste program to find out.
If you can’t use the city’s green bin, you may be able to find a local compost facility through www.findacomposter.com just by entering your city or zip code.
We appreciate that hot composting at home is not for everyone and the volume of nappies in the early days can be overwhelming. We are working behind the scenes to change the way nappy and wipe waste is handled and processed across the NZ. We are making good progress towards establishing a doorstep collection and industrial composting service for you.
How it looks when TERRA nappies gets decompose?
Visit this link to know - https://youtube.com/shorts/mnkZ1K-30tY?feature=share