If you have an idea or project that reduces the amount of waste that gets sent to landfill, you could be eligible for a financial boost from Tauranga City Council this year.
Grants of up to $20,000 are available from the contestable Resource Wise Community Fund, open until 4pm on Thursday, July 5.
Environment Committee Chair Steve Morris says the fund is open to individuals, community groups, businesses, Iwi/Maori organisations and education providers who want to deliver waste minimisation projects within Tauranga.
'As a city, we are sending too many resources to landfill that could be reused, recycled or recovered instead – or better yet, not produced in the first place.
'Through the fund, we want to support our community to find new ways to help reduce waste, and inspire and encourage others to recognise that disposal should only be a last resort.”
The fund aims to empower communities to:

• reduce waste sent to landfill, including organic materials, construction and demolition materials, and paper and cardboard
• support a hierarchy of waste principles: avoid, reuse, recycle, recovery – with disposal only as a last resort
• lobby manufacturers and government to take responsibility for where their products will ultimately end up
• support the council's waste minimisation programmes
• achieve the actions set out in Council's 2016 Waste Management and Minimisation Plan

Grants range from $1500 to $20,000 from an annual pool of $50,000.
All projects must meet the funding criteria.
For more information, including funding criteria, application guidelines and the online application form, visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/rwcommunityfund