AN INITIATIVE to help people reduce waste has been launched by civic chiefs.

Hampshire County Council is inviting applications from organisations for up to £5,000 to support them in delivering projects, products and services which minimise or prevent household waste.

Councillor Rob Humby, executive member for environment and transport at Hampshire County Council, said: “Dealing with waste is a costly business for everyone. Local councils in Hampshire collectively spend £100 million each year dealing with the county’s waste, so reducing the amount of household waste produced could make a big difference.”

Cllr Humby added: “We know that some of the best work in waste reduction goes on at a local level with groups sharing knowledge or providing facilities and we want to encourage these initiatives and inspire more.”

In 2015, the county council launched its Smart Living initiative to encourage people to make small changes to their lifestyles which would lead to big savings.

Cllr Humby added: “The Smart Living initiative has so far made great progress, and many Hampshire residents have taken the ideas on board, reducing the amount of food they waste and donating household items to charity.

“There is some great work going on, but I know that limited funding can sometimes prevent good work expanding, so I hope that community groups will be encouraged to apply to the grant and we look forward to seeing the variety of applications we receive.”

The closing date for applications for the Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund is January 31 2018.

For eligibility criteria and information on the grant, including how to apply, visit the Hampshire County Council website.