Waste Minimisation Fund

Charities, businesses, mana whenua, schools, community groups and facilities, events, individuals; anyone in the Hastings district can apply for Waste Minimisation Funding.

Every tonne of waste received at New Zealand landfills (Class 1-4) is subject to a waste disposal levy. This is currently $60 per tonne for Class 1 landfills. The waste disposal levy is a charge that gets passed on to the Ministry for the Environment. Half of the levy funds are given to councils, based on their population size.

Our Waste Minimisation Fund is here to help kick-start projects that aren’t already happening or that expand on existing activities in a different or new way. For example, if your project is already composting, we won’t fund the continuation of this. But if you would like to start worm farming in addition to composting, or are wanting to build a community garden to use your compost, you are welcome to apply.  

Our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2018- 2024 (WMMP) sets out the goals that will bring us closer to becoming a community that values our resources, re-uses, re-purposes and recycles as much as possible. Take a look at the document and consider how your project could align with the goals (see page 17 on “How we will address issues”).

These goals will be achieved alongside our community, whether this is through education, engagement or the development of new technology and ways of working.

We are currently in the process of reviewing the WMMP and drafting the 2025-2031 WMMP.

Hastings District Council aims to support projects that avoid creating waste in the first place, rather than just managing it. This means “designing out” waste to prevent those materials from becoming a waste stream in the first place - think reusable steel cups rather than recyclable plastic cups.  

Priority areas for the grants are (in order of priority):

1. Minimisation, avoidance and/or reduction of waste creation 
2. Reuse, repair and repurposing of waste materials
3. Resource recovery infrastructure and/or waste minimisation support for marae and community facilities, community organisations and registered charities.
4. Alignment with national waste minimisation policy or locally identified priorities
5. Recovery of resources (such as recycling or composting)
6. Waste minimisation education programmes, workshops, data collection, feasibility studies, monitoring and waste audits.

All applications are evaluated based on the assessment criteria listed in our Guidance for applicants document.

Projects or initiatives must:

• Align with one of the goals in the current Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP)
• Divert or reduce a waste stream that is currently being disposed of at landfill, or deliver education or research that contributes to this.
• Be a new project/initiative to reduce waste or expand on an existing initiative. (ie funding will not be awarded for existing activities or running costs)
• Fit with one of the six priority areas outlined above.
• Have clear goals that will be monitored, measured and evaluated, leading to a clear community and environmental benefits.
• Take place within the Hastings district boundary.
• Demonstrate a clear timeline with results achieved within one year. In some cases, multi-year funding may be awarded, with milestones and reporting requirements throughout the funded period.
• Show genuine commitment to waste minimisation outcomes. Ie include specific actions that aim to reduce waste or change behaviours towards waste creation.
• Provide follow up reporting if the funding application is successful.

Co-funding requirements:

• Applications from a registered business require a minimum of 50% contribution/co-funding of the project’s total cost from the applicant(s).
• For applications from a charity or community group, projects with a total value greater than $50,000 require a minimum of 25% co-funding from the applicant.

• Projects that focus on waste disposal, the treatment of waste prior to disposal, or commercial clean-ups. (However, marine clean-ups that involve education around waste may be considered)
• Projects that are inconsistent with our Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (2018-2024) and funding outcome areas
• Projects that are not in the Hastings district
• Subsidising the cost of waste to landfill
• Debt servicing
• Waste minimisation projects that have already been completed.
• Projects or initiatives that are not addressing/aimed at reducing waste to landfill.

If you aren’t sure whether your project meets the criteria for funding, email us at reducewaste@hdc.govt.nz

Absolutely. Our Waste Minimisation Officers are happy to give you feedback on your application and project. Email us at reducewaste@hdc.govt.nz

You should include any quotes, project plans, and evidence that the applicant has the skills and has done the relevant research or background work to deliver the project successfully.

Applications must be submitted using the online form via the Smarty Grants system.