January 17, 2022 In Grants and Funding, Recycling, Reuse

Snapshot of our latest funding round

The Glass Packaging Forum’s latest funding round saw eight successful applications awarded just over $130,000 in total. It was great to see a good mix of projects, ranging from refill schemes to infrastructure.

The Beer Spot – refillable glass project support

Refitting beer taps at The Beer Spot will allow them to sell beer in glass containers rather than plastic.

Auckland-based retailer The Beer Spot was awarded just over $29,000 to help refit its beer taps to sell beer in refillable glass containers.

The company has been selling beer in refillable PET bottles at five sites around Auckland but wants to make the move to glass and has already earmarked substantial fund for the project.

Raglan Xtreme Zero Waste – new glass recycling infrastructure

Community recycler Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan sets a high benchmark for waste reduction.

Innovative community recycler Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan has been developing a centre of excellence featuring industry best practice infrastructure.

It was awarded $25,000 for a bin lifter, hopper, conveyer and container for glass recycling. This equipment will not only reduce manual handling but display industry best practice to the tour groups it hosts and those taking part in Zero Waste Network training at the centre.

Ruapehu District Council – replace aging infrastructure

A grant of $28,000 will help the Ruapehu District Council build new glass storage bunkers at its Taumarunui Refuse Transfer Station to address the increasing volume of glass collected for recycling.

The transfer station serves as a hub the council and its satellite recycling centres. The previous bunkers were no longer fit for purpose which caused contamination and loss of glass which could otherwise have been recycled.

Central Otago District Council – improve public place glass recycling

New public place glass recycling bins in Clyde are already seeing heavy use.

The council has contract Alexandra Wastebusters to collect glass from public place recycling in the township of Clyde during peak holiday seasons – and send the glass for recycling instead of to landfill.

There is currently a public place glass recycling skip, but glass from the skip bin is mostly landfilled or occasionally stockpiled. A $500 grant from the GPF paid for wheelie bins at the public glass recycling area, which Wastebusters service with the glass going to Auckland to be recycled.

The bins were installed on December 20 and Wastebusters have been collecting three to four, full 240L bins a week.

Palmerston North City Council – extend storage bunkers

The council was awarded $8,648 to help extend its current glass storage bunker’s concrete pad to increase capacity and improve health and safety. The growth of the city has seen an increase in recycled glass, with the new bunkers expected to see an additional 500 tonnes a year.

Clevedon Village Market – separate glass recycling bin

The popular Clevedon Village Market is working towards greater sustainability.

The market is working towards reducing the volume of compostable and glass packaging going to landfill due to a lack of infrastructure.

A grant of $500 was awarded for a glass recycling bin and to help educate the public on its use.

9Hazels – refillable glass containers

9Hazels is a Lower Hutt-based start-up which makes hazelnut products and wants to use glass containers for a refill scheme.

A grant of $3,999 will allow the company to buy the containers needed to get the scheme off the ground. It believes using glass will give it a commercial/marketing advantage.

Northland Waste – new glass storage bunkers

Far North District Council’s Russell Transfer Station is managed by Northland Waste, which is reorganising the site into a resource recovery park focussed on waste reduction.

Part of this work involves new glass storage bunkers, thanks to a GPF grant of $35,000. The old bunkers are too small and resulted in glass being rejected or downcycled.