Awards & Scholarships
Awards
Each year, SWANA distributes a variety of awards celebrating outstanding waste and resource management programs, facilities, and individuals. SWANA publicly recognizes:
- Advancing worker and community health and safety.
- Implementing successful education and outreach programs.
- Utilizing effective technologies and processes in system design and operation.
Nominations Open for the 2026 SWANA Awards!
Nominate yourself, your colleague, or a team for the 2026 SWANA Awards. The deadline for nominations is Monday, July 1, 2026, 11:59 pm EDT.
How to Apply:
- Navigate to the award category below to locate the award for which you would like to submit a nomination.
- Click the link to open the nomination form in a new tab.
- Log in with your SWANA username and password to access.
Award recipients will be celebrated in a special event on September 30 at SWANA’s RCon™ 2026, held September 29 – October 2 in St. Louis, Missouri (Award Ceremony location TBD).
Award Categories
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
The SWANA Professional Achievement Awards Program recognizes contributions to the waste and resource management industry and public health and environmental protection.
- Robert L. Lawrence Distinguished Service Award
- Honorary Membership Award
- Life Member Award
- Professional Achievement Award for a Private Sector Member
- Professional Achievement Award for a Public Sector Member
Learn More About the Professional Achievement Awards »
Submit Nominations Online for the Professional Achievement Awards »
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Young Professional of the Year Award formally acknowledges the hard work, performance, and dedication of three young professionals annually in the waste and resource management industry, encouraging the next generation.
TECHNICAL DIVISION AWARDS
SWANA’s Technical Division Awards honor individuals and organizations whose work has advanced best practices, safety, sustainability, and technical excellence within SWANA’s Technical Divisions.
Learn More About the Technical Division Awards »
- Collection & Transfer Technical Division Award -- Submit Nominations »
- Communication, Education & Marketing Technical Division Awards -- Submit Nominations »
- Landfill Gas & Biogas Technical Division Awards -- Submit Nominations »
- Landfill Management Technical Division Award -- Submit Nominations »
- Planning & Management Technical Division Award -- Submit Nominations »
- Sustainable Materials Management Technical Division Awards -- Submit Nominations »
- Waste Conversion & Energy Recovery Technical Division Awards -- Submit Nominations »
SAFETY AWARDS
SWANA Safety Awards honor safety best practices and successes.
- Best Safety Innovation Award
- Best Safety Training Program Award
- Biggest Safety Improvement Award
- Workplace Wellness Award
- Individual Safety Recognition (NEW AWARD)
Learn More About the Safety Awards »
Submit Nominations Online for the Safety Awards »
Scholarships
SWANA has developed several scholarship programs available to SWANA members and their family members who are students seeking to study fields related to waste and resource management or environmental services and engineering to encourage and foster next generation employees.
- Robert P. Stearns/SCS Engineers Scholarship Award
- Harvey W. Gershman Scholarship
Advertisement
