11. Waste Management—Waste Minimisation FundMELISSA LEE (National) to the Associate Minister for the EnvironmentWaste Management—Waste Minimisation Fund11. MELISSA LEE (National) to the Associate Minister for the Environment: What recent announcements has he made about the Government's Waste Minimisation Fund?Hon SCOTT SIMPSON (Associate Minister for the Environment): The Waste Minimisation Fund is funded from a levy introduced by the National-led Government in 2009. It charges on waste disposed of at landfills to discourage waste and to fund recycling initiatives. Recently I have made several announcements including over $5.1 million of investment into four projects to reduce litter. This includes the installation of combined litter and smart recycling bins supporting Keep New Zealand Beautiful to undertake a national litter survey as well and as recently as this morning my colleague Dr Nick Smith has announced grants of $19 million for investments into solutions for New Zealand's end-of-life tyres.Barbara Kuriger: How is the Government using the Waste Minimisation Fund to help local community groups to move towards zero waste?Hon SCOTT SIMPSON: The organisation Para Kore has a vision for all marae around New Zealand to be zero waste by 2020. So far there are 171 marae taking part in the programme and they have diverted a massive 178 tonnes of waste from landfill. Last week in Raglan in the member's own beautiful electorate I announced funding of nearly a further $800000 to extend that programme and a further $150000 to allow the Waikato District Council to implement food waste collection diversion and composting services in Raglan. Denise Roche: Why is he taking nearly $20 million from the Waste Minimisation Fund and not spending it on community groups that are working to reduce waste and subsidising those that do not really need it?Hon SCOTT SIMPSON: The Government has provided grants of almost $19 million to nine tyre-related projects including $13.6 million towards new equipment at Golden Bay Cement in the Northland electorate. That will totally dispose of 3.1 million shredded tyres per year. This technology is globally one of the most common and economically viable solutions to waste tyres. The high-temperature incineration minimises pollutants the steel in the tyres contributes to the iron requirements of cement and the rubber provides a fuel to substitute for coal. So this is a very good way of disposing of end-of-life tyres that have been causing enormous problems around the country.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Golden Bay retread complex he talks about is in the Whangarei electorate and not the Northland electorate.Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.Denise Roche: Why has he rejected putting an advance disposal fee on tyres as the industry itself has asked for when $5 on each tyre would create about $25 million a year which would cover recycling costs and more?Hon SCOTT SIMPSON: It is because on this side of the House we take a pragmatic blue-green approach to environmental matters and we are not the party of heavy-handed and expensive regulation.Denise Roche: I seek leave to table an email to the Hon Nick Smith dated 22 September 2015 from Mark Gilbert—from the industry itself; the chair of the Tyrewise working group—expressing disappointment—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No the document has been described. It does not need further description. Leave is sought to table that particular email to the Hon Dr Nick Smith. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is no objection. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Denise Roche: When will he stop coming up with half-measures that subsidise ongoing pollution for things like tyres and plastic bags and instead introduce mandatory product stewardship schemes that actually work to reduce waste?Hon SCOTT SIMPSON: The issue of plastic bags is a current one and I have recently received advice from the Ministry for the Environment on a range of options to tackle plastic bags which I am now considering. Additionally I am meeting with stakeholders in the sector mayors and officials regarding the issue and the disposal of them.Melissa Lee: How is the Waste Minimisation Fund helping to repurpose waste that otherwise would have gone to landfill?Hon SCOTT SIMPSON: Last month I announced that the Government is supporting the collection and recycling of Tauranga's untreated wood waste with a grant of $359000. This grant helped purchase a wood chipping machine which means that a very large amount—some 44 tonnes of kiwifruit boxes and pallets per week that used to go to landfill—is now being chipped and used in gardens as mulch and also as a protective layer for children's playgrounds. The member will be pleased to know that I will be making further announcements in the future.