A recycling truck on one of the Waipā runs
Para Kore, a leading not for profit kaupapa Māori organisation specialising in zero waste education has signed a three-year deal with Waipā District council to deliver “world without waste” programmes.
General rubbish
Based in Raglan, Para Kore – which means zero waste – was founded in 2010 and works nationwide with several councils.
It will deliver workshops in Waipā schools including composting and worm farming, microgreens, waste hierarchy and living low waste as well as running community workshops.
A black rubbish bag found in the recycling
Part of its education will focus on reusable menstrual products and indigenous knowledge. It will also co-facilitate low-waste information days at marae and work in partnership with the council for low-waste event management.
The partnership will focus on zero waste training and building capacity.
The council received 17 applications for its Waste Minimisation Community Fund.
Rotten food in the recycling
The applications totalled more than $100,000. Ten projects, which received $35,835, were:
Te Hīnaki Café, Cambridge Playgroup, Street Harvest, Leamington Playcentre, Paterangi, Kaipaki, Wharepapa and Te Miro schools, Pollin8 and The ReCreators.
Meanwhile, a company has developed technology using artificial intelligence to identify contamination in a recycling bin before it is tipped into trucks.
Waipā council will use it to reduce contamination and costs for its recycling bin audits which showed service was suspended to 232 households in 15 months and 864 warnings.
A recycling truck on one of the Waipā runs. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
