Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is inviting passionate locals to take action on waste with the return of the Waste Minimisation Community Fund (WMCF).

With up to $60,000 in funding available, the WMCF supports innovative projects that reduce waste and promote the sustainable use of resources across the district. Individuals, businesses, schools, and community groups are all encouraged to apply.

“We know there’s no shortage of great ideas across our district,” said Emma Brockie, Sustainability Advisor at QLDC.

“This fund is about empowering our community to bring those ideas to life and work together toward a zero-waste future, built on the principles of a circular economy.”

Previous projects have been diverse and wide-reaching including upcycling of old uniforms, school community composting, repair and reuse hubs, reusable packaging trials, sustainable period workshops and food waste education campaigns — and QLDC is keen to see what new ideas emerge this year.

Construction company Naylor Love took up funding from the WMCF last year to create a Community Upcycling Station in Queenstown, with the goal of diverting 70% of waste from landfill and promoting community reuse. The station offers leftover construction materials to the community free of charge, that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

“Everyone at Naylor Love is really proud of the Upcycling Station – it’s a small step towards zero waste and sends the right message, not just to our teams but to the wider community,” said Hayley Stockdale, Naylor Love Regional Environmental Manager.

“The WMCF application process was super straightforward, and this project reflects our commitment to being environmental sustainability leaders in the construction industry. The feedback so far? Simply, ‘what a great idea’ – and we’re just getting started!”

“Collective small actions can have a huge impact and create lasting change,” says Emma. “We encourage anyone with a creative idea for minimising waste and maximising resource recovery to apply and help build a more sustainable future for our community.”

Applications for the QLDC Waste Minimisation Community Fund open today, and close on 25 May 2025.

FURTHER INFORMATION | Kā pāroko tāpiri

2024 Waste Minimisation Community Fund Projects

Naylor Love’s Community Upcycling Station will reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste going to landfill and promote sustainable practices within the industry.

Kanuka Corner Early Childhood Centre will set up 'The Repair and Reuse Shop' to teach children recycling and repurposing skills. This space will allow them to involve children in repairing and repurposing broken items around the centre.

Sofia Cinque will host Sustainable Periods workshops that aim to educate and empower individuals about sustainable menstruation practices. Her goal is to enhance menstrual wellbeing, demonstrate the benefits of sustainable products, and encourage broader adoption of low-waste options.

Tikki Studios Ltd. will offer an affordable after-school program to teach the next generation about textile sustainability by providing focused sewing classes to teach students how to work with, mend and upcycle textiles.

Shotover School & Community Waste Minimisation Project will set up a comprehensive composting system to promote environmental stewardship and sustainability at their primary school. This initiative will educate students and community members on composting, waste reduction, and sustainable practices through hands-on learning experiences.

Ian Fitzpatrick's Trash Goblin initiative will establish collection points for plastic bottle tops and lids across the Queenstown Lakes District, including schools and businesses. The collected plastic will be shredded, melted, and molded into disc golf discs, founding a small local business that diverts waste from landfills and turns it into a useful product.

Brew & Reuse will repurpose used grain bags from breweries into practical, long-lasting tote bags for everyday use. Bags otherwise destined for landfill will be collected from breweries and will undergo cleaning and inspections to remove residual grain, then be cut using patterns before being assembled into tote bags.

Remarkables Primary School’s Kaitiakitanga Kaupapa programme will enhance students' environmental awareness. They will implement a student-led waste management system, featuring a tuakana-teina (older-younger sibling) model where students will oversee composting solutions for food scraps and green waste generated onsite, raising awareness about converting organic waste into soil.

Kāhu Youth Trust will create bin signage prototypes to improve waste diversion at events, aiming to produce functional and user-friendly designs that are aligned with best practice guidelines.

Crimson Badger Brewing’s ‘Shrink Use of Shrink Wrap’ project will implement the use of reusable stock containment nets to reduce or eliminate the approximately 40 meters of plastic wrap used per pallet shipped.

Skyline Queenstown plan to creatively rebrand and repurpose old uniforms, demonstrating that clothing can have new uses instead of going to the landfill. This initiative, in collaboration with Tikki Studio and Active Print & Promotion, will highlight their commitment to sustainability and reduce landfill waste.

Wānaka Community Workshop Trust’s tool library will be established for the community. This will involve the purchase of specialised tools, the creation of storage space to house the tools, and setting up a hire system to facilitate the borrowing process for tools.

© Scoop Media