Got a great idea for reducing waste in your business?

Then you might be in luck - the Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board has set aside $2500 to fund waste-reduction initiatives in their area.

Community board member Carolyn Hamill says the idea is to encourage local businesses to come up with great ideas for waste reduction, and to help them implement those ideas.

"A lot of small to medium-sized businesses are working hard to reduce their waste - but there’s always room to do better," she says.

"Your business might be looking to buy reusable cups for staff, install a compost bin out the back, build a worm farm, or try something more innovative and exciting.

"If that's the case, let us know and we’ll consider your ideas alongside those from other businesses."

Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board members Carolyn Hamill (left) and Moira Hanna look forward to seeing local businesses’ waste-reduction ideas.

Whakatāne District Council's Waste Management and Minimisation Coordinator (solid waste), Sheree Kearney, says the district is out-performing most other parts of New Zealand when it comes to waste reduction.

"Our communities diverted more than 10,000 tonnes of waste a year from landfill in 2019/20 and that’s a great result," she says.

"However, we still sent more than 13,000 tonnes to landfill and the challenge is to reduce that number as much as possible.

"The community board’s initiative is a great step towards achieving that goal, and we’re keen to see the waste-reduction ideas that local businesses come up with."

People involved with small to medium-sized businesses can apply for a slice of the funding through a form on the community board's website.

It is expected that several businesses will be granted a slice of the total pool. Applications close October 31.

Find out more about the Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board Waste minimisation business grants »