Through their new Waste Levy Fund, Stratford District Council (SDC) has awarded $24,276 to five new local projects that will decrease the amount of waste going into landfill.

The successful projects include school and communal composting and recycling systems, a community garden, reusable nappy education and recycling, and the establishment of a bi-monthly Repair Café.

The Waste Levy Fund received eight applications in the February funding round, requesting a total of $57,000. Victoria Araba, SDC Director – Assets, says they were impressed with the quality of the applications overall.

“Our congratulations to the successful applicants. In their projects we saw a real commitment to sustainability and community, backed up with great planning,” says Victoria.

“We’ll receive reports on the progress of these projects and the measurable impacts they have on waste in our community over the next 12 months. We’re excited to see the results!”

The Waste Levy Fund was created in November 2022 to support new activities that reduce the amount of waste going into landfill. The fund was created using money distributed to SDC through the Government’s national waste disposal levy.

To be eligible for support, projects had to avoid, reduce, recycle, recover, or reuse waste in the Stratford district. The 2023/24 funding round will open late 2023.

Successful Applicants for Waste Levy Fund

Stratford Community Childcare Centre

$7,030 for new composting systems.

Avon Primary School

$8,995 for the development of a garden and composting system for community use.

Pregnancy Help Stratford Branch

$3,600 to develop reusable nappy education and recycling.

Stratford Repair Café Group

$2,496 for the establishment of a bi-monthly Repair Café event in Stratford.

Stratford District High School

$3,120 for the installation of a recycling and composting system for unused school lunches.

For more information about the Waste Levy Fund, visit Stratford.govt.nz/WasteLevyFund

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