Recipients of the Waste Levy Grants announced

Kāpiti Coast District Council has announced the recipients of its 2023-24 Waste Levy Grants.

A small-scale anaerobic digestion pilot to produce energy from organic waste, a cloth nappy trial service, food waste diversion, education programmes and circular systems and infrastructure to support bottle reuse are among the projects that will boost waste reduction activities across the district.

Fifteen waste reduction projects shared almost $50,000 in funding through the grants.

There were two categories in this round, with a total of $30,000 available for eligible community projects, and a total of $20,000 allocated for business waste reduction.

Council waste projects manager Robbie Stillwell said the grants supported a diverse range of initiatives that would reduce the volume of waste going to landfill, while also helping to reduce our carbon footprint.

“When food scraps and other waste decomposes, it releases methane gases, so waste minimisation is being more widely recognised for its potential to reduce landfill emissions.

“By diverting waste and resources from landfill, these projects are promoting reduction, reuse and resource recovery while also setting our path towards a low-emissions future.”

The grants are funded through Waste Levy fees paid by waste disposal operators to the Ministry for the Environment, which is then partallocated to councils to administer. The projects are not funded by rates.

Stillwell said it was encouraging that so many community groups and businesses were exploring ways to minimise their waste.

“We had a record number of applications this round and we were incredibly impressed by the diversity and innovation of programmes they represented.

“Unfortunately, we have a limited kitty and are unable to fund everything. We have offered part-funding for several projects in order to maximise the amount that can be achieved.”

The recipients for the Community Projects category were Kāpiti Softball Club, KapiMana Multiples and Ō taki School Te Kura Tuatahi o Ō taki.

The community projects that received part-funding were Shoebox Christmas Trust, Māoriland, Charitable Trust, Organic Wealth, Juli Hunter Eco Friendly Style, The Shed Project Kāpiti, St Peter Chanel School and Ō taki Montessori Preschool.

Recipients in the Business Waste Reduction category were Energise Ō taki, The Bond Store and Gratitude Kefir. The business waste reduction projects that received partfunding were The Roastery and Anam Cara Gardens.

For more information on these community projects and business waste reduction programmes, visit Waste Levy Grants – Kāpiti Coast District Council (kapiticoast. govt.nz).