Nominations open for WasteSorted Awards 2025 (Australia)

The awards celebrate those doing better than the bin by avoiding, reusing, repairing and recycling waste and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

The WasteSorted Awards are an initiative of the Government of Western Australia and coordinated by the Waste Authority WA.

Award Categories

• The categories for 2025 include:
  • Community Waste Award
    • This award is open to all voluntary or non-profit individuals, groups and organisations.
    • Awarded to an individual, group or organisation for community engagement resulting in positive improvements in waste management.
  • Schools Award
    • This award is open to all public, independent, and non-government schools in Western Australia from K-12. Schools must have current WasteSorted Schools accreditation to enter.
    • Awarded to a school community that has demonstrated outstanding commitment and contribution to avoiding and recovering waste through an integrated whole school approach showing innovative waste practices.
  • Business Award
    • This award is open to any commercial organisation, enterprise, or business.
    • Awarded to any commercial enterprise or business for excellence in avoiding, reusing, repairing or recovering waste, or protecting the environment from the impacts of waste generated from commercial enterprises or businesses, including building and construction. Depending on submissions, a small business sub-category winner may be awarded instead of a highly commended award.
  • Waste Champion Award
    • This award is open to an individual from any organisation.
    • Awarded to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and contribution resulting in positive improvements in waste management.
  • Waste Team Award
    • This award is open to a group or team of people from any organisation.
    • Awarded to a group or team of people who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and contribution resulting in positive improvements in waste management within the past two years.
  • Local Government Award
    • This award is open to all local governments and regional councils.
    • Awarded to a local government or regional council for excellence in avoiding or recovering household and community waste and going beyond normal business objectives resulting in positive waste management outcomes.
  • Regional Award
    • This award is open to all regional individuals and organisations.
    • Awarded for excellence in avoiding or recovering waste and overcoming challenges in regional WA resulting in positive waste management outcomes.
  • Community Events and Engagement Award
    • This award is open to all individuals and organisations.
    • Awarded for excellence and/or demonstrated improvements since last year, in community events, engagement or campaigns to encourage the avoidance or recovery of waste resulting in positive waste management outcomes.
  • Innovation Award
    • This award is open to all individuals and organisations.
    • Awarded to an initiative that has demonstrated exceptional innovation in waste management, improvement, practices or outcomes resulting in positive waste management outcomes.
  • Closing the Loop Award
    • This award is open to all individuals and organisations.
    • Awarded for excellence in demonstrating circular economy principles in action where the value of waste materials is recognised and used to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption.

Entry Requirements

• Essential
  • Online Submission. You must submit a completed nomination via the online form. Applicants who wish to submit a nomination in multiple categories will need to complete a new nomination form for each category.
  • The submission document. This is your written response to the assessment criteria and is the main part of your entry that is assessed by the judges. Word limit is strictly as set out in the assessment criteria. Please structure your answers according to the assessment criteria. The use of headings, photos, graphics, tables and charts is encouraged.
  • All submissions must align with the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 (Waste Strategy): to make WA a sustainable, low-waste, circular economy in which human health and the environment are protected from the impacts of waste
  • If your project includes Containers for Change, you must demonstrate how you go above and beyond regular business outcomes achieved from collecting 10c containers. Examples include integration of other waste streams with your Containers for Change project, establishing positive and impactful partnership approaches, or creating positive social and or environmental outcomes for the local community.
• Optional
  • You may submit other material and documents to support your entry and better illustrate its impact and results. Examples include reports, testimonials, media coverage, analytics, photos, videos and so forth. It is essential that all supporting documentation be referenced within your submission.

For more information, visit Waste Authority.