Funding projects to cut down on waste in Waipa¯
Waipa¯ District Council is opening up its popular Waste Minimisation Fund for the 2022 year. With $40,000 available to support projects and ideas that rethink, reduce and reuse waste, council is encouraging locals to get their thinking caps on and apply.
The fund is aimed at waste minimisation efforts to move Waipa¯ towards becoming a more waste wise district. Applications are open now until 5pm, Monday, April 11.
Council’s waste minimisation officer Sally Fraser encouraged individuals, community groups, businesses and organisations to apply.
“The fund was created to support community or business-led projects to create opportunities from wasted resources, reduce waste being created and use resources over and over.
“Past recipients have had a positive effect on our community and made a big difference in reducing the amount of rubbish going into our landfills, which is brilliant.”
Previous successful projects include an educational campaign by The Lions Shed about what a good donation is, helping the community through shop sales.
Following their successful application last year, Cambridge Primary has purchased a hot composting unit and plan to collect food waste from commercial premises on the main street.
EquiBreed NZ received funding to trial reusable and compostable packaging to ship stallion semen at room temperature and eliminate the need for styrofoam shipping boxes.
EquiBreed director Dr Lee Morris said they were very grateful for the funding provided by the Community Waste Minimisation Fund.
“The ability to combine cutting edge stallion genetics technologies with environmentally friendly packaging solutions is the way of the future for EquiBreed. We were thrilled to be able to stop using styrofoam packaging.”
Sally said applications that looked at innovating existing practices to use reusable operations would also be considered.
“We are keen to support leaders within workplaces that want to try new ways to reduce waste within their own industry, so if you have a problematic waste and you have an idea or a solution, get in touch or apply.”
To develop or talk about your idea talk to council’s waste minimisation team by calling 0800 924 723 or emailing wastefund@waipadc.govt.nz Applications can be downloaded from www. waipadc.govt.nz/wastefund or collected from council offices in Cambridge or Te Awamutu.