Sustainable Care: Reusable Incontinence Product Trial
General Interest
Pacific Coast Te Manaaki Care Centre has taken a practical look at one of aged care’s most persistent waste challenges: disposable incontinence products. A waste audit at the end of 2024 showed that these products accounted for 34% of the care centre’s landfill waste, more than 4,000 kilograms a year. With care needs increasing across the sector, the team set out to reduce this volume while maintaining resident comfort and dignity.
In what is understood to be among the first for a New Zealand aged care facility, Te Manaaki trialled reusable incontinence underwear with support from Tauranga City Council’s Resource Wise Community Fund. Fourteen residents participated in a six-month trial, using breathable, New Zealand-designed products supported by in-house laundry systems and staff training to ensure safe, consistent handling.
The trial presented challenges. Resident needs vary widely, and the products required different laundering routines. Even so, the outcomes were clear. Over six months, an estimated 2,220 single use products were avoided. Residents reported improved comfort, staff found the garments straightforward to manage, and several residents outside the trial chose to purchase their own.
The initiative also prompted wider operational improvements across the care centre. These included increased food waste separation, 100% glass recycling, reduced single use plastics, and greater confidence among staff in sorting waste correctly. Tauranga City Council later profiled the project as a case study in community driven sustainability, and the NZ Herald featured it as an example of innovation in aged care.
While the focus remained on resident wellbeing, the trial also highlighted cost efficiency potential, particularly in independent living settings. Reusable garments have a higher upfront cost but can replace hundreds of disposables over their lifespan, reducing purchasing and landfill related costs over time.
“I believe sustainability in healthcare is not just about reducing waste, it’s about improving quality of life,” – Josie Calcott, Clinical Manager | Te Manaaki
“By providing this innovative product, we are supporting dignity and comfort for our residents and at the same time, significantly reducing disposable waste, one person at a time. It is proof that comfort and sustainability can go hand in hand.”
The project has since attracted strong interest from the wider aged care sector. Generus Living has presented the findings to other providers, engaged with council teams, and contributed to industry discussions on sustainable care solutions. The initiative is now referenced as a practical example of resident centred sustainability in everyday care.
Te Manaaki’s experience shows that meaningful change does not require large scale reform. With targeted design and collaboration, sustainability can be integrated into daily practice, improving comfort for residents while reducing the environmental footprint of care.
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