Council has supported two local waste minimisation projects in this year’s allocation of its contestable Waste Minimisation Fund.

The fund aims to reduce waste by providing funding for projects trialling or supporting new waste minimisation activities.

SuperGrans Tairāwhiti has received $6000 to support their project to repurpose organic food waste into food packs for whānau.

Recycle 360 was awarded $4750 to contribute towards a pilot project to trial, build and test equipment and processes for a grade 5 plastic recycling system.

The funding comes from Council’s waste levy income. The government charges a levy of $10 per tonne for all waste going to landfill in New Zealand, and then redistributes funds to local authorities on a per capita basis.

A key objective of Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP) is to provide social, economic and cultural benefits by increasing the amount of waste diverted from landfill via reuse, recovery and recycling.

A staff panel assessed the nine applications received this year and determined the projects submitted by SuperGrans and Recycle 360 to be strongest when evaluated with the goals and objectives of the WMMP.

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