Waste minimisation supported
21 April 2015Eleven groups that reduce, reuse or recycle have received financial support from Waipa District Council.
Council sets aside $40,000 a year to support individuals, groups and businesses to develop projects based on minimising waste. The funds are provided to councils by the Ministry for the Environment.
Grants are available up to $10,000 with some discretion to consider larger projects.
Waste minimisation officer Hope Williams said the council looked for projects that helped the community to focus on reducing how much was wasted each day. Money was not provided to held fund waste disposal or clean-ups, she said.
At a meeting today, a total of $37,899.46 was allocated to a range of groups. The largest grant of $9,040 went to Waste Education NZ to facilitate workshops for composting and worm farms within the Waipa district.
Money also went to: The Nappy Lady (to run workshops on reusable nappies, $6,358); Union Parish (to collect eco light bulbs that contain mercury, $147.20); Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust (to purchase organic waste bins, $147.40); Environmental Education for Resource Sustainability (to continue the Paper4trees programme, $1,657.86); Waste Education NZ (to facilitate workshops for composting and worm farms, $9,040); Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce (to establish battery recycling boxes, provide waste audits, $5,850); Mighty River Domain (to purchase organic bins, $2,706); Waipa District Council compliance team (to test sludge and ascertain if it is suitable for vermicomposting, $3,263.76); Pare Kore Marae (to provide resource recovery at the Tri-Maori Triathon, $1,980); Main Stream Green (to present waste minimization experiences at Waipa community events $2,200); South Waikato Achievement Trust (to support an electronic waste collection point in Te Awamutu, $4,550.00).
Media enquiries, contact Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of council) 027 507 7599