Communities receive boost for innovative recycling projects

21 March 2013

Communities across NZ receive a boost for innovative recycling projects

A first-of-its-kind initiative will see $150,000 injected into community initiatives across the country, to educate and encourage people to recycle more, thanks to Keep New Zealand Beautiful and the Coca-Cola Foundation Grants Programme.

15 stand-out projects across the country have been awarded the funding, having been chosen for their innovative, unique and fun solutions to encourage people to recycle, particularly while they’re out and about.

Those projects include a Rotorua-based organisation that is providing equipment to help convert a disused building into an interactive recycling education centre as part of a major initiative to promote recycling in the community, and a Wanaka-based project that will transform a fixed kerbside recycling trailer into a mobile recycling depot for public events.

Iris Donoghue, Chair of Keep New Zealand Beautiful, is thrilled with the calibre of the applications and looks forward to seeing these projects come to fruition over the course of the year.

“Keep New Zealand Beautiful is proud to partner with Coca-Cola to enable some of our most creative thinkers to find solutions to encouraging people to recycle and live more sustainably. This is a fantastic opportunity to give these projects the boost they need to make a real difference to the way people recycle in their communities. “

Paul Fitzgerald, General Manager for Coca-Cola New Zealand says its longstanding partnership with Keep New Zealand Beautiful is part of an on-going commitment to invest in innovation that supports sustainable packaging and recycling.

“Through this investment we aim to help resource recycling initiatives that are fun and engaging, and therefore make a real difference to communities.

“Kiwis are good recyclers at home, and 97% have access to kerbside recycling. However only 18% of waste material collected out-and-about is recycled. This campaign will be a catalyst for bringing to life creative solutions to encourage recycling over the next 12 months.

“Coca-Cola New Zealand has worked with Keep New Zealand Beautiful for more than two decades and we share the concern many hold for our local environment. We’re pleased to support them to continue their great work in litter reduction and beautification programmes around the country,” he says.

The Beverage Container Recycling Community Grants Programme is managed by the Packaging Council of New Zealand on behalf of Keep New Zealand Beautiful.

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