Nappies to Landfill
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
Nappies sent to landfill carry a factor of 2.0 t CO₂-e per tonne under NGA Factors 2025. See worked examples, FAQs and a calculator for your reporting.
Emission Factor Value
2 t CO₂-e/tonne
Try it with your own numbers
Estimated emissions
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Emissions from waste you send to landfill are reported under Scope 3. Calculated as tonnes of nappies × 2.0 t CO₂-e per tonne (NGA Factors 2025). Cubic metres are converted at 0.39 tonnes per m³.
Official Source & Citation
This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 15 — Waste mix methane conversion and emission factors, published by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Citation: DCCEEW (2025). Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025
Notes
Scope 3 factor for organisations sending nappies to landfill, from the NGA Factors 2025. Emissions arise from anaerobic decomposition of the organic content producing methane. 1 tonne of nappies sent to landfill = 2.0 t CO₂-e. For volume records, apply 0.39 tonnes per cubic metre. The landfill operator reports the direct methane emissions under Scope 1.
Calculation Example
If a childcare centre sent 9 tonnes of nappies to landfill during the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 9 t × 2.0 t CO₂-e/t | 18 t CO₂-e (Scope 3) |
For childcare centres and aged care facilities, nappies are not a rounding error — they are often the heaviest bin on site. Sent to landfill, each tonne carries a factor of 2.0 t CO₂-e as the organic content decomposes anaerobically into methane, landing squarely on your Scope 3 inventory.
Because nappy waste usually travels in dedicated sanitary collections, it is also one of the better-documented streams — contractor invoices give you the tonnage almost for free.
Quick Verdict
Nappies sent to landfill have an emission factor of 2.0 t CO₂-e per tonne under the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025, applying to the 2025–26 reporting year. The waste generator reports these emissions under Scope 3, while the landfill operator reports the direct methane under Scope 1. The factor matches textiles and sits just below food waste. Volume records convert at 0.39 tonnes per cubic metre. A Scope 3 emissions calculator can apply the factor directly from contractor collection data.
How to Calculate Nappy Waste Emissions
Emissions (t CO₂-e) = Waste to landfill (tonnes) × 2.0
Worked Example 1: Childcare centre
A childcare centre sends 9 tonnes of nappies to landfill over the year via a sanitary waste contractor.
9 t × 2.0 = 18 t CO₂-e (Scope 3)
Worked Example 2: Aged care facility
An aged care provider disposes of 30 tonnes of continence products to landfill during the reporting year.
30 t × 2.0 = 60 t CO₂-e (Scope 3)
Worked Example 3: Volume records only
A facility records 10 m³ of nappy waste collected for landfill. Using the NGA volume-to-mass factor of 0.39 t/m³:
10 m³ × 0.39 t/m³ = 3.9 t
3.9 t × 2.0 = 7.8 t CO₂-e (Scope 3)
Nappies vs Other Landfill Streams
| Waste stream (to landfill) | Factor (t CO₂-e/t) |
|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard | 3.3 |
| Food waste | 2.1 |
| Nappies | 2.0 |
| Textiles | 2.0 |
| Municipal solid waste (mixed) | 1.6 |
| Wood waste | 0.7 |
| Construction and demolition waste | 0.2 |
All factors from NGA Factors 2025, expressed in CO₂-equivalent.
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
Nappy disposal emissions are Scope 3 for the generator, so they sit outside NGER thresholds but inside AASB S2 disclosures, which require material Scope 3 categories to be reported. Sanitary waste contractor invoices provide a clean audit trail — apply the NGA Factors 2025 value to those tonnages consistently.
Related Emission Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information, not professional or compliance advice. The factor shown is reproduced from the official publication cited above, and while we work to keep it current, government factors change — the publication is always the authoritative source.
- Before using this value in any formal reporting — including under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 — confirm it against the current official publication and the methods specified by the Clean Energy Regulator.
- NetNada is independent of the Australian Government, DCCEEW, and the Clean Energy Regulator. Government data is Crown copyright, Commonwealth of Australia.