The Paper4trees programme can help council meets its obligations under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, and Community Outcomes under the Long Term Council Community Plan. (The Waste Minimisation Act 2008 requires councils to promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation. Councils must report progress on waste minimisation initiatives within their community. Effective and efficient waste management and minimisation planning is underpinned by the three core goals in the New Zealand Waste Strategy).

Paper4trees can be of benefit to the solid waste department and/or the parks & reserves department within councils by helping divert waste away from landfill, and planting native trees within the community.

Example of the benefits:

 - Paper4trees schools in Auckland recycled 1,696 tonnes of paper & cardboard in the 2015 school year
- If this was sent to landfill, this would cost approximately $254,400 (@ $150 per tonne)
- The cost of the Paper4trees programme in the Auckland region is approximately $159,240 per annum which is 63% of the cost of sending the 1,696 tonnes of waste to landfill
- This tonnage equates to 6,311 native trees earned by the schools, and planted within that community acting as a carbon sink
- This amount also saved 13,555 cubic metres of landfill space, thereby extending the life of that landfill
- This also equates to 9,150 tonnes of carbon dioxide not being created in the landfill, (not including the carbon sequestered by the planted native trees!)
- In some areas only a small percentage of schools are recycling before the introduction of the Paper4trees programme i.e. In another district only 24% of the schools were recycling prior to the introduction of Paper4trees, after the programme was offered to all schools in that area this number increased to 95%!!
- In areas where many schools are already recycling, Paper4trees encourages increased recycling rates, and ongoing habits of recycling. We have completed waste audits in schools that are recycling with and without the Paper4trees programme. We have found a significantly higher recycling rate in the schools that are part of Paper4trees – incentives work!

The cost of the Paper4trees programme is based on:

 - The resources required for the schools in your area (brochures & certificates, 10% replacement per annum)
- The replacement classroom recycling bins – made in NZ – for the schools 
- The cost of the trees and delivery
- Administration by the Paper4trees team
- Office expenses 
We can provide a complete breakdown for your District if you are interested in seeing this detail.

If you and your council are interested in finding out more, please contact us!