2026 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 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.

Young Professional of the Year Award

The Young Professional (YP) of the Year Award is presented to exemplary Young Professional members annually for their outstanding performance and dedication to the solid waste and resource management industry.

Collection & Transfer Technical Division Award

Distinguished Individual Achievement Award

The Collection & Transfer Distinguished Individual Achievement Award (DIAA) recognizes efforts on behalf of individual SWANA members for service to the Technical Division, support of the mission of SWANA to advance the practice of solid waste collection and transfer, and overall long-term service to the 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.

Community Engagement Campaign

Learn More About the Communication, Education & Marketing Technical Division Awards »

Landfill Gas & Biogas Technical Division Awards

Hall of Flame

The Hall of Flame originated to formally acknowledge and recognize those who have made a significant contribution to the landfill gas industry.

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.

Landfill Management Technical Division Award

Distinguished Individual Achievement Award

The Landfill Management Distinguished Individual Achievement Award recognizes efforts by individual SWANA members for service to the Technical Division, support of the mission of SWANA to advance best practices for landfills, and overall long-term service to the solid waste management industry.

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

Facility Excellence Award 

The Waste Conversion and Energy Recovery Facility Excellence Award recognizes excellence in design, management, and operations of projects that produce renewable energy from solid waste.

Safety Awards

Individual Safety Award

SWANA’s Individual Safety Award recognizes an individual whose initiative and actions have made an outstanding contribution to improving safety in the waste and resource management industry.

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 »

Safety Award Sponsor