A new scheme to push parents to ditch disposable nappies in favour of reusable cloth has been launched by Dublin City Council.The cloth nappy incentive scheme aims to reduce household waste by encouraging the uptake of reusable nappies.The scheme will provide a limited number of families in Dublin with a voucher to purchase a “comprehensive cloth nappy starter kit”.The kits are designed to provide everything needed to begin using cloth nappies from birth through to toilet training.More than a million nappies are disposed of every day in the State, amounting to more than 400 million per year. Disposable nappies are the third-largest contributor to household residual waste bins in Ireland, according to a 2022 Environmental Protection Agency waste characterisation study.The council said the initiative is specifically designed to support families who may not otherwise have considered or been able to access reusable nappy options.[ Reusable cloth nappies vs disposables: would you put €500 a year in the bin?Opens in new window ]Each participating family will receive a voucher to redeem a kit from approved partnered retailers the Nappy Market and Summer Sweets Baby. Barry Woods, head of waste management services at the council, said the scheme is “about making sustainable choices more accessible for families”. “We are helping to reduce waste and contribute to a more circular economy in Dublin,” he said.Abi O’Callaghan-Platt, director of policy for environmental charity Voice Ireland, said: “The support of local authorities has been invaluable in allowing families to access washable nappies.”O’Callaghan-Platt said Voice Ireland aims to “normalise” the use of reusable nappies through these initiatives as the level of waste related to disposable nappies is a “huge environmental issue”.[ ‘We want to change the world one bum at a time’: Wexford mum launches reusable nappy brandOpens in new window ]The scheme has been supported by nine local authorities across Ireland in 2026 including Dublin City Council.Those eligible can input their voucher number at a chosen retailer’s website to be sent a starter kit.Voice Ireland is calling for a national policy on nappies, to include promoting reusable nappies and wipes, and tackling the increasing age of toilet training and years spent in disposable pull-ups.