Media Release

No rubbish applications to new waste fund!

8 August 2014

A new fund to assist waste initiatives from businesses, industry, councils and community groups has attracted a large number of innovative applications since it opened.

The Waste Resources Advisory Group (WRAG), administered by Bay of Plenty Regional Council, launched the $50,000 fund to assist waste initiatives in the Bay of Plenty in June. The application period closed on 1 August.

Regional Council Project Implementation Officer Reece Irving said he was delighted by the number and quality of applications, with requests totalling almost $160,000 for a wide variety of projects.

“The projects looking for funding are about everything from providing community education on waste reduction to projects to investigate converting waste to energy viability. They include composting and worm farming workshops, three separate groups wanting funding assistance to buy trailers, enhancing recycling and composting at markets and events and recovery and reuse of construction and demolition waste, as well as a variety of other initiatives,” he said.

WRAG is made up of district and city councils, community groups, Toi Te Ora Public Health and a variety of industry and businesses with an interest in managing waste. The contestable fund promotes the actions and initiatives of the region’s Waste and Resource Efficiency Strategy.

“These include fostering collaboration and partnerships, improving data and information management, increasing resource efficiency and beneficial reuse, reducing the harmful impacts of waste and stimulating research and innovation while reducing waste to landfill,” he said.

Applications will be scored on how closely aligned they are to the Strategy's key focus areas. WRAG members will meet shortly to consider all the applications and successful projects will be notified in late August.

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