Do you have an innovative idea for reducing waste? Hamilton City Council offers funding to help get your ideas off the ground.

The Waste Minimisation Fund allocates $50,000 annually from money the Council receives via the Government’s national waste levy. The aim of the fund is to encourage projects championing long-term waste minimisation and behaviour change, in line with the vision of the Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

Iwi, businesses and education/community groups can apply for funding grants of up to $5000 towards their project or feasibility study, or up to $15,000 for larger projects that have a significant waste reduction impact.

Maire Porter, City Waters Unit Manager, says partnering with community groups to find new solutions to old problems is a no-brainer. “The fund is a big part of reducing waste in the city, now and in the future,” says Mrs Porter.

“We’re committed to backing Hamiltonians who have innovative ideas in reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill. We want to encourage and support forward-thinking waste minimisation projects and this fund allows us to do this.”

Previous fund recipient Zibido Hair in Glenview is now the Waikato ambassador for Sustainable Salons, an Australian initiative to reduce salon waste sent to landfill. The Hamilton business has reduced its waste by more than 90 per cent in the past year, normalising waste reduction and sustainability in the hairdressing industry. Stylists work with reusable or recycled foils, and the salon has invested in a compost bin for food, organic waste and even cut hair, which only takes about a month to break down. Cut hair is also offered to clients in reusable bags to take home and put in their compost and worm farms.

Applications for the Waste Minimisation Fund must be received by 5pm, Monday 18 November 2019.

For more information visit our website or flick an email to wasteminimisation@hcc.govt.nz to discuss any aspect of your application.

To minimise the city’s waste footprint and reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill, Hamilton is wheeling out an exciting new kerbside rubbish and recycling service from 1 July 2020.

The new service will include a 120-litre (L) rubbish wheelie bin, a 240L recycling wheelie bin, a 45L crate for glass recycling and a 23L food scrap bin.

More information on the new kerbside service rollout will be available early in the new year.

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