Hon Amy Adams
Minister for the Environment

14 February 2013 Media Statement

$4.7 million boost for world-leading recycling project

The Government has awarded $4.7 million to a project that turns sewage and organic waste into resources such as energy, and fertiliser, Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced.

The technology has been developed by Scion, a Crown Research Institute based in Rotorua, and successfully trialled by the Rotorua District Council.

The money from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund will be used to design, engineer and build a full scale plant at a Rotorua wastewater treatment facility, and research how the technology could be applied to other waste streams.

The Rotorua plant aims to reduce the volume of biosolids going to landfill by 90 per cent and cut greenhouse gases by up to 70 per cent.

“This project has the potential to deal with one of New Zealand’s most problematic waste streams, and provide a fundamental change in the way waste is managed in New Zealand,” Ms Adams says.

“It is pleasing to be able to back an innovative project such as this, which shows Kiwi ingenuity is able to develop world-leading, practical ideas that enhance our clean, green image.”

The technology will eventually be made available to other wastewater plants around New Zealand.

The Waste Minimisation Fund provides financial support to projects which increase resource efficiency and decrease the amount of waste going to landfill. Money for the fund comes from a waste levy charged on material disposed of at landfills.

To date, the Government has allocated $27 million in funding for 86 projects through the fund.

For more information on the Waste Minimisation Fund go to: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/waste/waste-minimisation-fund/index.html

ENDS

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