Waipā waste minimisation fund has $50,000 for worthy projects

Waipa waste minimisation community fund recipient Treadlite NZ chief executive officer Brad Pierce. Photo / Supplied

Waipā has been allocated an extra $10,000 to invest in projects and ideas that rethink, reduce and reuse waste across the district and next week the council is offering two drop-in sessions to help people develop their project and potential application to the waste minimisation fund.

The money comes from the Ministry for the Environment but is administered by Waipā District Council. In the coming round, an extra $10,000 has been allocated, taking the fund total to $50,000.

Waipā District Council’s waste minimisation adviser Sally Fraser said: “Every year we are seeing more and more exceptional projects apply and the extra $10,000 will really make a difference. More projects can be funded and that’s a further step forward in helping Waipā become a more waste-wise district.”

Applications to the next funding round are now open, closing at 5pm on Thursday, April 6. The previous funding round saw a wide range of projects win support, from a contractor tackling Gib waste in the building industry to an early childhood centre starting a worm farm with food scraps.

One recipient, Treadlite NZ, will use the funding to help the local community dispose of waste tyres for free. People can drop off their old and used tyres on April 14 and 15 in Cambridge and April 21 and 22 in Te Awamutu. Those interested should email sales@treadlite.co.nz and will be advised of the time and drop-off location.

Treadlite processes the old tyres into granules of rubber used for playground matting, artificial sports fields, mats and gym flooring.

Treadlite NZ chief executive officer Brad Pierce said too often tyres are illegally dumped or stockpiled, creating a real eyesore.

“We have the technology to reuse the product and turn waste into a positive. It’s a fantastic way to clear waste and put it to good use.”

The council’s two drop-in sessions are:

● Wednesday, March 22, 9-11am at the Te Awamutu Library meeting room, Selwyn Lane.

●Wednesday, March 22, 1-3pm at Waipā District Council’s Cambridge office, Leamington room, 23 Wilson St.

Application forms can be downloaded from www.waipadc.govt.nz/wastefund.