Green ideas flood in for funding help

FILE

A new fund set up to encourage new waste initiatives from the region's businesses, industry, community and entrepreneurs has attracted a large number of innovative applications.

The Waste Resources Advisory Group (WRAG), administered by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, launched the $50,000 fund in June to promote the region's Waste and Resource Efficiency Strategy.

The application period closed on August 1.

Regional council project implementation officer Reece Irving said he was delighted by the number and quality of applications with requests totalling almost $160,000 for a wide variety of projects.

"The projects looking for funding are about everything from providing community education on waste reduction to projects to investigate converting waste to energy.

"They include composting and worm farming workshops; three separate groups wanting funding assistance to buy trailers; enhancing recycling and composting at markets and events; and recovery and reuse of construction and demolition waste; as well as a variety of other initiatives," he said.

WRAG is made up of district and city councils, community groups, industry and businesses and Toi Te Ora Public Health.

Mr Irving said the group's aims include: "Increasing resource efficiency and beneficial reuse, reducing the harmful impacts of waste and stimulating research and innovation while reducing waste to landfill."

Applications are scored according to these key focus areas with winners announced in late August.