WasteSMART Councillors’ Choice Award

Each Brisbane City Councillor has the opportunity to nominate one local idea or activity that has made a real difference in their local community to waste prevention or reduction, recycling, education or litter prevention.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Local Legend Award

The award is open to individuals. It recognises efforts related to waste prevention or reduction and education (such as reducing food waste, improving recycling and composting). This can include participating in established programs (e.g. 104 or More, Community Composting Hubs, Clean Up Australia Day) or innovations which contribute to a cleaner Brisbane.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Community Award

This award is open to community groups. It recognises efforts related to waste prevention, reduction and education initiatives e.g. community engagement, awareness and education programs. This can include community collaboration in litter picking, landfill avoidance, reuse initiatives or other innovations.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Circular Threads Award

This award recognises efforts related to giving textiles a new life and keeping them in the circular economy. This could include upcycling, repurposing, recycling, prevention and education initiatives e.g. community engagement, awareness and education programs.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Business Award

This award is open to businesses. It recognises Brisbane businesses who actively look for options to improve their waste management systems by introducing positive changes in resource recovery and a reduction of waste to landfill or businesses who are leading the industry in reduction, elimination and circular economy.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Early Learning Award

This award is to encourage and recognise implemented environmental initiatives in an early learning centre or Kindy that have a focus on litter reduction, waste management and education. This can include improving recycling systems, litter clubs, composting food waste or other innovations.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Schools Award

This award is to encourage and recognise implemented environmental initiatives in a school that has a focus on litter reduction, waste management and education. This can include improving recycling systems, litter clubs, composting food waste or other innovations. Outside school hours care and P&Cs are also eligible.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Hospitality and Tourism Award

This award is open to the hospitality and tourism industry including hotels, venues, restaurants, cafes, tourism operators, food trucks, events and precincts. It recognises Brisbane businesses and organisations who actively look for options to improve their waste management systems by introducing positive changes in resource recovery and a reduction of waste to landfill through closed loop systems.

1 prize to the value of $350

WasteSMART Green Waste Award

This award is open to individuals, community groups, businesses and organisations. It recognises efforts in green waste recovery, recycling, and education programs. The award celebrates innovative awareness initiatives and projects that transform garden and park materials into valuable resources. This could include innovative composting, reuse of garden materials, smarter collection systems or programs that turns green waste into a valued resource.

1 prize to the value of $350

Outstanding WasteSMART Award

Recognising outstanding waste-smart endeavours which required a high proportion of volunteer effort. All finalists will automatically be entered into the ‘Outstanding’ WasteSMART Award category with the judging panel to determine the ultimate winner.

1 prize to the value of $350

People’s Choice WasteSMART Award

The public is invited to vote for the one winner in this category. This category comprises all the finalists shortlisted by the judges across all categories.

1 prize to the value of $350

All-Star WasteSMART Award

To recognise long-term commitment to waste prevention and reduction, which has occurred over at least the past three years and acknowledge the ongoing efforts of past winners. In order to be eligible the nominee must have won WasteSMART award or been awarded highly commended in the previous three years. The winner will be selected from the pool of finalists by the judges.

1 prize to the value of $350

Judging

A panel of assessors evaluates all entries. The assessors will then refer the shortlisted finalists to the WasteSMART Brisbane Awards judging panel who are responsible for selecting the winners. All finalists are also eligible for the People's Choice WasteSMART Award which is voted on by the public.

Prize Pool

There is more than $4,000 in prizes for the WasteSMART Brisbane Awards program. For details on prizes per category, please refer to the terms and conditions page.