First round of funding announced for waste reduction initiatives

A recycling database for businesses and a washable nappy trial are among the nine eco-friendly community and business projects supported in the first round of North Shore City Council ' s new WasteWise Fund.

The projects will receive a total of $13,195 from the annual $100,000 WasteWise Fund, which the council has established to support waste reduction initiatives in the North Shore City area.

Works and environment committee chairperson, Joel Cayford, is pleased with the wide range of applications received from groups initiating their own waste reduction activities.

"We are keen to subsidise community initiatives that will prevent useful resources being tipped into a landfill. These projects are a necessary partnership between the council and community, because we can't succeed in minimising waste unless we work together, " says Councillor Cayford.

" We received 18 applications, and I expect that many of those who missed out on funding in this round will be supported in the future, once we have received more details about their particular proposals " .

Councillor Cayford says officers have also fine-tuned the application form to make the process easier in the future.

The recipients of round one funding are:

Albany Primary School - worm farm and partial funding for a recycle area

Bayswater School - compost bin and worm farm

Birkdale North Primary - worm farm and compost bin enclosure

Manuka Primary School - Plastic Bag Campaign (materials, inks, sewing machine etc. for children to make their own reusable material bags to replace non-recyclable plastic bags). As part of the campaign the children have written to - and had positive responses from - Progressive Supermarkets, The Warehouse and the Minister for the Environment

Recycling Operators of New Zealand (RONZ) - partial funding for an Online Recycling Service Database for Businesses, for widespread access to recycling services/contacts

Sustainable Organic Gardens - a Low Waste Gardening Education Programme to work with current North Shore City Council supported schools programmes and staff. Teaches children how to compost, worm farm and create food gardens from their lunch waste

Torbay Play Centre - Washable Nappy Trial (to reduce disposable nappies going to landfill) and a worm farm

* Westminster Christian School - relief days to free up staff in organising a ' Trash to Fashion ' show. North Shore City ' s waste minimisation team will also carry out a waste audit.

Further applications have been received for the second round of funding, which will be considered shortly. Round three applications close on Friday, March 28. All requests need to be made on an official application form - for details people are asked to contact Actionline on 486 8600.

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