Nominations Open for MRW National Recycling Awards DEADLINE June 24, 2022

March 21, 2022

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The MRW National Recycling Awards are the most prestigious awards in the recycling and resource management sector, with winning projects and teams rightly recognised for their achievements within the industry and further along the supply chain. The awards seek to recognise and reward excellence and inspire others, for the advancement of the sector. This year, the Awards are once again looking for the most innovative and creative ideas, businesses and individuals who are making a difference. READ MORE

View the categories here and enter today!

Recycled Product of the Year

Who should enter: Any UK or Republic of Ireland-based organisation that has developed an innovative recycled product.

About the award: This category recognises a product that exemplifies the best of sustainability. It will have been designed with careful consideration of resources and incorporate recycled content. Factors such as reusability, end of life, waste minimisation, closed loop processes and so on will have been considered in its design.

Campaign of the Year

Who should enter: Any UK or Republic of Ireland-based public sector, voluntary, charity, private or commercial organisation.

About the award: The winner of this award will show how to run an effective campaign, of any size or budget, that has resulted in significant impact. It will have addressed a challenge around waste or the waste hierarchy, such as increasing recycling, boosting reuse, reducing waste, improving materials quality, reducing contamination, increasing awareness or participation. This might be within the organisation concerned or in the wider community.

Circular economy initiative

Who should enter: Any UK or Republic of Ireland-based organisation. This can include businesses, construction firms, retailers, manufacturers, higher education establishments, government departments and so on.

About the award: This award recognises an exemplar initiative that has made a systemic change to embed the circular economy principles of designing out waste, keeping products and materials in use at their highest value, and regenerating natural systems. It has proven that the business model works and can show buy-in and trade from along its supply chain. It will be an inspiration for others and show how a circular economy can work in practice.

Digital systems

Who should enter: ICT organisations and creators of digital systems, including apps

About the award: This award recognises successful and innovative digital systems that have demonstrably improved waste and recycling operations or interactions with those in the resource sector.

Food Waste Initiative

Who should enter: Any organisation of any size involved with food waste that has operations in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award: This category will reward organisations that have shown significant measurable success in tackling food waste. This could be through prevention, reduction, reuse and/or recycling. The award seeks innovative and novel initiatives that will inspire others.

**The definition of novel in this context includes delivering established good practice in a more efficient or effective way.

Independent Operator of the Year

Who should enter: Any independent UK or Republic of Ireland-based organisation whose main business is to process, collect or sort materials for recycling, reuse or energy recovery. ‘Independent’ here means the entries are not part of larger or publicly quoted businesses.

About the award: This recognises a business that has set out to be the best, shown exceptional customer service, market innovation, growth and high performance. They will clearly demonstrate how they are helping improve resource management. The winner will show a practical awareness of its role in driving resource management up the waste hierarchy.

Local Authority Success

Who should enter: Local authorities based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award: This award recognises local authorities that have effectively put in place a project or whole new systems, to drive significant success in recycling, reuse or waste prevention performance and standards while offering the public value for money. These local authorities will be examples for others to learn from, show leadership and fresh thinking.

Partnership Excellence – Public/private sector

Who should enter: Combinations of: UK or Republic of Ireland-based waste management companies, recyclers, industry, businesses, compliance schemes, local authorities, community sector, charities. The entry must include at least two organisations, with one partner from the private sector and one partner from the public or not-for-profit or charitable sector.

About the award: This category recognises true partnerships and innovative working that goes beyond the norm and standard contractual arrangements and good practice to manage waste and resources sustainably and effectively. It seeks to highlight creative ideas and new ways of working that can inspire others in the sector. Incorporation of the waste hierarchy, waste minimisation, designing out waste, closed-loop processes, reuse and high recycling rates will be recognised.

Recycling Excellence

Who should enter: Any business operating in any sector (eg retail, construction, manufacturing), based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award: This award recognises initiatives by businesses that demonstrate excellence in improving recycling and resource efficiency – shown through exceptional performance. Businesses will need to demonstrate movement up the waste hierarchy.

Recycling Facility of the Year

Who should enter: Any waste and/or recycling facility registered in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the Award: This award recognises a waste and/or recycling facility that demonstrates exemplary operation through innovation and/or improved management. It will be a facility that has challenged itself to be the best and can inspire others by the standards it has set. All types and sizes of facilities are welcomed. Please note this award is for one facility only. The organisers reserve the right to sub-divide the category depending on the range of entries.

Team of the Year

Who should enter: Any team working within any type of organisation within the waste and recycling sector in the UK or Republic of Ireland. The definition of a team in this context will be employees from one organisation working in unison towards the same goal, on a specified project/initiative.

About the award: People are at the heart of delivering the products, processes and services needed to deliver high performance in waste and resource management. This award recognises the people in the waste/recycling sector in the UK or Republic of Ireland that embody teamwork and from which others can learn and be inspired. The team will demonstrate the qualities, attitude and approach needed for success on a project.

Innovation - equipment

Who should enter: Technology providers, equipment providers, vehicle manufacturers etc based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award: This award recognises the important role that equipment plays in improving the processes, operations and environmental impact of resources, waste and recycling organisations.

The winning entry will demonstrate an innovation in equipment that can improve the sector and results in significant measurable improvements, such as improved efficiency, reduced waste, improved materials quality, improved recycling, reduced carbon impact, improved health and safety performance and so on.

It seeks to highlight novel concepts and ideas that challenge current norms.

Innovation – business models

Who should enter: Any business/organisation/university/research establishment etc based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award: This award will shine a light on genuine business model innovation in the realm of resources, waste and recycling, with the potential to deliver real change in the sector.

The winning entry will demonstrate how its new way of working would result in positive environmental impact, such as reduced waste, improved recycling, improved recyclability, reduced carbon impact, contribution to net-zero targets and so on. The award seeks to highlight novel concepts and ideas that challenge current norms.

NEW – Employee training and skills

Who should enter : Any organisation in the waste/recycling/resources sector based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award : Investing in the sector’s workforce is crucial to developing the skills and the right environment needed for the industry to thrive. This award recognises a specific training and skills initiative introduced by an employer in the waste/recycling/resources sector for which it can show a positive impact on its employees and measurable improvements.

Training and skills could include initiatives on mentoring, skills and career development, health and safety, modern day slavery, mental health, well-being, diversity and inclusion. It will be an inspiring example for others in the sector to learn from.

Partnership Excellence – Commercial

Who should enter: Combinations of: waste management companies, recyclers, industry, businesses or compliance schemes. The entry must include at least two organisations, from different sectors. NB partnerships including the public, not-for-profit or charitable sectors should enter Partnership Excellence – Public/private sector.

Rising Star

Who should enter: Any resource and waste management employee, aged 35 or under, from a UK or Republic of Ireland-based organisation, who has driven substantial improvements across an organisation or the wider sector, demonstrated talent and drive. The entry can be completed by the employee or on their behalf by peers or employers who would like to nominate them.

About the award: This award recognises young employees, aged 35 or under, in the waste and recycling sector who have shown talent, drive, exceptional performance, enthusiasm and fresh thinking in improving performance or standards within an organisation or the wider industry. They are positive ambassadors for the industry.

Social value

Who should enter: Any business operating in the waste management, reuse, recycling and reprocessing sector in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

About the award: This award recognises either a specific project addressing a specific challenge, or an ongoing programme by a business operating in the waste management/reuse/recycling/reprocessing sector that brings measurable social value to its local community, wider society or a targeted group. It will result in positive impact on the community, such as creating and developing skills, opportunities and employment or improving local facilities and environments. It will be exemplar, inspire others and demonstrate how business can be a force for good.

Wastebuild Award

Who should enter: Any organisation including those outside the UK and Republic of Ireland can enter this category. This can include businesses, construction firms, retailers, manufacturers, higher education establishments, government departments and so on.

About the award: This award is for any UK or international contractor, architect, manufacturer or supplier in the construction supply chain who has built, designed or produced a project or material which has incorporated fresh thinking to their operations to manage resource efficiency, including management of waste streams, development of recycled products and designing out waste. Entries will need to demonstrate best practice in areas such as waste prevention, reuse, or recycling. They will also need to show innovation in meeting the net zero carbon challenge.

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