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In
addition to its role as official publication of the
Solid Waste Association of North America, the world's
largest solid waste organization, MSW Management will
join in sponsoring the SWANA Excellence Awards at WASTECON
in Long Beach, CA, this October.
By
John Trotti
As the premier
educational association for solid waste professionals
in both the public and private sectors, SWANA's
commitment and passion to promote professionalism in
solid waste management worldwide is perhaps the association's
greatest strength. Without such a vitally active membership,
SWANA would not be the comprehensive organization it
is today. The SWANA Technical Excellence Awards recognize
those organizations whose contributions to the field
deserve special acknowledgment. These awards are especially
prestigious, as they reflect the judgment of professional
leaders within each of the each of the achievement categories.
Every former award-winning organization is truly an
example of excellence to others.
What Do
You Need to Know to Apply?
SWANA's
Excellence in Solid Waste Management Awards Program
recognizes and encourages the development of environmentally
and economically sound of solid waste management programs.
The awards are based on several criteria that evaluate
an organization's commitment to environmentally
and economically sound solid waste management. Among
these criteria are environmental compliance, program
efficiency and effectiveness, safety, and innovation.
While each
of these is important, the overriding question you should
ask yourself in preparing your application is "What
are the relevant aspects of our facility, system, or
program that exemplify excellence in solid waste management
and are worthy of recognition?" Now more than ever,
the judges will be looking for evidence that applicants
have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their
programs.
What Do
You Need to Do to Apply?
First, make
up your mind to do so … then follow through. The
deadline for fiscal-year 2002 awards submissions is
March 29, 2002, but don't wait until the last minute–your
presentation is all the judges will have to go by before
they make their final site visits. Nomination forms
and specific requirements can be obtained by calling
SWANA at 800/467-9262 or downloading a PDF file for
each category from SWANA's Web site at www.swana.org/AwardExcellence.asp.
Not Sure
How to Put Your Best Foot Forward?
Here's
a list of award categories along with last year's
winners. Why not latch onto success by contacting some
of them and asking for their secrets?
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Christmas
Tree Recycling
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Georgia
Department of Community Affairs, Keep Georgia
Beautiful, Atlanta, GA
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Integrated
Solid Waste Management Systems
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Northern
Tier Solid Waste Authority, Burlington, PA; Baltimore
County Bureau of Solid Waste Management, Towson,
MD
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Landfill
Gas Control
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New
Cure Inc., Monterey Park, CA
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Landfill
Gas Utilization
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Lopez
Canyon Restoration Project, Lake View Terrace,
CA; Los Reales Landfill Gas Recovery Project,
Tucson, AZ
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Landfill
Management Division
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SPSA
Regional Landfill, Chesapeake, VA; County of Santa
Barbara, Tajiguas Landfill, Santa Barbara, CA;
City of Bristol, Bristol Quarry Landfill, Bristol,
VA; County of Orange, Olinda Alpha Landfill,
Santa Ana, CA; Crapo Hill Landfill,
New Bedford, MA
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Planning/Financial
Management
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Ventura
Regional Sanitation District, Comprehensive Plan,
Ventura, CA; Catawba County, Blackburn Landfill
Master Plan, Newton, NC
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Public
Education
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University
of Virginia, Division of Recoverable and Disposable
Resources, Charlottesville, VA; City of Sioux
City, Siouxland Regional Recycling Center, Sioux
City, IA; North Shore Recycling Program, North
Vancouver, BC, Canada; LA County Regional Used
Oil Media Campaign, Alhambra, CA; King County
Junk Mail Reduction Campaign, Seattle, WA
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Recycling
Programs
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University
of Virginia, Department of Recoverable & Disposable
Resources, Charlottesville, VA; Naval Air Station
Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA; City of Mesa,
Green Waste Barrel Program, Mesa, AZ; Montenay
Power Corp., Miami, FL
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School
Curricula
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City
of Tacoma, Envirochallenger, Tacoma, WA; LA County
Elementary School Environmental Education Program,
Alhambra, CA; Manitoba Product Stewardship Corporation,
School Programs, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; LA County
Secondary School Environmental Education Program,
Alhambra, CA
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Solid
Waste Collection
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No
2001 winners
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Special
Waste Management
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City
of Plano, HHW Reuse Program, Plano, TX; LA County
HHW Collection Program, Alhambra, CA; Mercer County
Improvement Authority, Used Electronics Collection
Program, Trenton, NJ
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Transfer
Station Management
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No
2001 winners
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Waste-to-Energy
Facilities
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Fairfax
County Waste-to-Energy Facility, Fairfax, VA;
Spokane Regional Waste-to-Energy Facility, Spokane,
WA; Pinellas County Waste-to-Energy Facility,
St. Petersburg, FL
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