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$500,000 waste minimisation fund opens in September
25 August, 2016
$500,000 waste minimisation fund opens in September
Applications open Thursday 1 September for Auckland Council’s $500,000 Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund (WMIF). For the first time a Love Food Hate Waste fund will also open, with up to $1,000 available, for initiatives that prevent food waste.
Waste Solutions General Manager Ian Stupple says these funds are a great way of encouraging innovative ideas that reduce waste to landfill.
“Aucklanders have been truly innovative in the past with their waste minimisation ideas and we’re looking forward to next month’s entries.”
WMIF seeds innovative waste solutions. Since the first funding round in April 2013, approximately $2.2 million has been distributed to over 220 projects. Activities funded have ranged from surveys, pilots, and feasibility studies to workshops, education programmes and new equipment. Applicants can apply for a grant of up to $50,000 for their waste minimisation initiative.
In 2015 charity organisation Take My Hands received a grant of $5,000 to develop an inventory for repurposing and redistributing medical resources from New Zealand to Asia Pacific.
“Take My Hands is a great WMIF recipient because the project is about repurposing medical items and minimising waste to landfill,” says Mr. Stupple.
“We’d like to hear from businesses, iwi/Māori, education and community groups who need support for projects and are passionate about reducing waste. This year, in line with the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, we also have a fund specifically for ideas that help to prevent food waste,” he said.
The separate Love Food Hate Waste fund is part of a New Zealand-wide campaign to reduce food waste going to landfill. Food waste is a massive issue in New Zealand with around 40% of the average rubbish bin or bag made up of avoidable food waste.
Auckland Council is looking for creative ideas to raise awareness and support Aucklanders to make the changes required to reduce food waste. Example projects could include cooking and budgeting skills workshops, and savvy shopping and storage techniques. The Love Food Hate Waste campaign will launch in Auckland this November and activities planned to occur in this period will be prioritised. Grants of up to $1000 are available from this fund.
Both funds open on 1 September and close at 8pm 30 September 2016.
For full details and to apply please visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/wmif.
For application assistance please contact the Waste Minimisation team onaucklandwastefund@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or call 09 301 0101.
About Love Food Hate Waste
In New Zealand the Love Food Hate Waste campaign is being delivered by WasteMINZ in conjunction with 59 councils and community groups from around New Zealand. For more information please visit lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz.
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