Nappies and landfill safety

Some of our customers have expressed concern over the impact of fæcal matter in nappies in landfill.

These concerns are unfounded. Independent tests have repeatedly demonstrated that there is no hazard to public health resulting from nappy disposal in household waste.

“Disposable nappies behave like other forms of municipal solid waste and are readily compressed and contained in landfill sites. Neither the nappies’ ingredients, nor the urine and fæcal matter they contain, can migrate from properly constructed and maintained landfills. Tests conducted under a variety of conditions simulating landfills demonstrate that these materials do not present any public health or environmental safety risk.” 1

Keep in mind that landfill contains numerous other fæcal-related products including sewage waste and council waste. (Consider your council’s encouragement for you to collect your dogs’ fæces from public areas and put them in the waste bin – this all goes to landfill.)

Landfill management

Today’s landfills are constructed with environmental protection as a first priority. Landfills in Australia are licensed by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and governed by strict environmental protection measures which cover collection and treatment of liquid wastes, collection and use of landfill gas, groundwater and surface water management, and detailed environmental monitoring and reporting.

Most landfill sites are converted to community or commercial purposes after they are finally closed. Monitoring continues for years after closure to ensure there is no pollution and until the landfill becomes completely inactive and stable.

  1. Sobsey, M.D., 1978. Field Survey of Enteric Viruses in Solid Waste Landfill Leachates. Amer. J. Public Health, 68:858