2025 Award Recipients

Professional Achievement Awards

Robert L. Lawrence Distinguished Service Award

The highest accolade that SWANA bestows, this award recognizes service and activity beyond normal responsibilities to the industry, employer, and general public.

Professional Achievement Award for a Private Sector Member

This award recognizes a SWANA member from the private sector for valuable and distinguished contributions to SWANA, their employing organization, and the general public.

Professional Achievement Award for a Public Sector Member

This award recognizes a SWANA member from the public sector for valuable and distinguished contributions to SWANA, their employing organization, and the general public.

Learn more about the Professional Achievement Awards.

Young Professional of the Year Award

This award is presented to exemplary Young Professional members annually for their outstanding performance and dedication to the solid waste and resource management industry.

Communication, Education & Marketing Technical Division Awards

Game Changing Tools

This award recognizes an organization that equips communities with funding, technology, data, media, legislative, or community outreach materials, or other support needed to advance solid waste management to resource management, support public health and safety of those working in the industry, or ensure a just transition to the circular economy.

Outstanding Awareness Campaign

This award celebrates community efforts that drive measurable improvement towards boosting participation in resource management programs, increasing health and safety of resource management initiatives, or reducing contamination to preserve the value of resources.

Outstanding Social Media Campaign

This award honors excellence in executing an education and outreach campaign as demonstrated through engagement and reach on social media platforms.

Landfill Gas & Biogas Technical Division Awards

Eternal Flame

The Eternal Flame award is presented in memory of a person who made valuable contributions to the landfill gas industry and to the Landfill Gas & Biogas Technical Division.

Distinguished Individual Achievement Award

This award recognizes individual members for their dedication to the Landfill Gas and Biogas Technical Division, service to employers, support of the mission of SWANA to advance the practice of converting waste to a resource, as well as overall long-term service to the landfill gas and biogas industry.

Planning & Management Technical Division Awards

Distinguished Individual Achievement Award

This award recognizes efforts by individual SWANA members for service to the Planning & Management Technical Division, support of the mission of SWANA to advance the practice of municipal solid waste management, and overall long-term service to the solid waste management industry.

Learn more about the Planning & Management Technical Division Awards.

Sustainable Materials Management Technical Division Awards

Organization Award

This award is given to an organization that advances the sustainable use of materials.

Waste Conversion & Energy Recovery Technical Division Awards

Trailblazer Distinguished Individual Achievement Award

This award recognizes excellence in the design, management, and operations of projects that produce renewable energy from solid waste, whether through direct combustion or through other methods.

Safety Awards

Best Safety Innovation Award

This award showcases an exemplary safety innovation undertaken by the solid waste industry during the previous year to reduce hazards and accidents, develop company regulations and best practices, or improve worker safety.

Best Safety Training Program Award

This award recognizes organizations that have implemented safety training in the previous year that results in continuous improvement, has employee buy-in, is dynamic and responsive to hazards, engages workers at all levels, and has objective results.

Biggest Safety Improvement Award

This award showcases an exemplary safety improvement undertaken by the solid waste industry during the previous year. 

Workplace Wellness Award

This award recognizes organizations that go above and beyond to reduce health risks, improve the quality of life for workers, and respond to and anticipate employee needs.

Learn more about the Safety Awards.

2025 Safety Award Sponsor