Palmy sets the bar high for sustainability with Resource Recovery Fund

Published on 15 May 2023

A person cradles a seedling in their cupped hands.

Four innovative projects have received grants from this year’s Resource Recovery Fund. The annual fund is one which enables local organisations and businesses to take a more active role in reducing, reusing and recycling items.

Council's Acting Chief Infrastructure Officer, Kathy Dever-Tod, expressed her excitement about this year's successful applicants.

"We were impressed by the quality of applications we received this year. The four successful projects are driven by members of the community who are passionate about reducing waste and making Palmy a more sustainable place to live. It's great to see such innovative and practical solutions being put forward."

The Resource Recovery Fund is an important initiative for Palmerston North City Council, and it reflects the Council's commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. The total amount awarded this year was $40,000.

The successful projects are:

Environment Network Manawatū: Repair Café

Environment Network Manawatū (ENM) will receive continued support for the successful repair café it established after last year's funding round.

Environment Network Manawatū: Increased city-based recycling opportunities

ENM will provide TerraCycle recycling bins, creating a collection point in the city centre for hard-to-recycle items including blister packs, beauty products and packaging boxes, as well as nametags and lanyards.

Precycle NZ Limited: Paper towel recycling and upcycling project

A pilot programme will be developed to collect and upcycle used paper towels and turn them into building products.

English Language Partners NZ Trust – Palmerston North Centre

This project is all about making composting fun. It sets out to engage with newcomers from refugee or migrant backgrounds to encourage home composting, and using this compost in home gardens.

“While these successful projects are impressive, there were several strong contenders that unfortunately missed out. These applicants should be commended for their commitment to waste reduction and sustainability in Palmy and we hope they apply again next year.”

Read more about the Resource Recovery Fund on our community funding pages.