The waste and resource recovery sector’s leading individuals, businesses and organisations have been recognised, with the 2026 Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards (WIRA) finalists now revealed.
The finalist list highlights the depth of talent and innovation across Australia’s waste and resource recovery industry, recognising those delivering meaningful outcomes and helping to drive the sector forward.
“Congratulations to all of the 2026 Waste Awards finalists. Their recognition reflects the high calibre of work being delivered across the sector and the significant contribution these individuals and organisations are making to the industry,” Caitlyn Douglas, Head of Awards and Conferences at Prime Creative Media said. “We look forward to bringing everyone together to celebrate these achievements at the Waste Awards gala dinner in October.”
The 2026 Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards Finalists:
Young Professional of the Year
- Alix Baltais, envirocom australia
- Tyson Charter, BottleCycler
- Zane Foott, FOOTT
- Lachlan Kinnaird, Veolia Environmental Services
- Aya Salih, Bajwa EnviroConsult (BEC)
- Thomas Staff, Bathurst Regional Council
- Hannah Stewart, Stows Waste Management
- Marne Thorpe, APR Recycling
- Valimberti, HiQ
- Karlie Zec, Tiny Tins
Innovation Award
- Katrina Boyd, reDirect Recycling
- Gareth Crewe, iQRenew
- Michael Elias, UPPAREL
- Paul Gaskett, The Environmental Group Limited
- Kristofer James, Adelaide Electrical Salvage
- Greenovate & Re.Group
- Jade Nicoll, Supacell
- Ilje Pikaar, IPMF Technologies
- Tracey Pryor, Australian Bedding Stewardship Council
- Ylias Sabri, RMIT University
- Karlie Zec, Tiny Tins
Leader of the Year
- Paul Callaghan, OLEOLOGY
- Kayla Gregg, Davis Advisory
- Laurie Kozlovic, Woolworths Group
- Amir Mehdizadeh, Porous Lane
- Damien Vella, Breen Resources
Marketer of the Year
- Richard Brosnan, Container Exchange
- Pippa Clark, VicReturn
- Erin Ford, Repurpose It
- Amanda Kacho, BINGO Industries
Outstanding Woman in Waste Award
- Tracy Chalk, Penrith City Council
- Madini De Alwis, Monash University
- Jaclyn Geddes, enrich360
- Kayla Gregg, Davis Advisory
- Deborah Lau, CSIRO
- Katrina Naish, A Fitting Connection
- Tammy O’Connor, KingKira Group
- Tracey Pryor, Australian Bedding Stewardship Council
- Dr Josephine Regel, Dartmouth Consulting
- Natalie Stewart, Campbelltown City Council
- Hannah Stewart, Stows Waste Management
The Lifetime Contribution Achievement Award
- Aharon Arakel, Pact Renewables
- Mehrdad Arashpour, ASCII Lab
- Tracy Chalk, Penrith City Council
- Peter Foott, FOOTT
- Dr Joe Pickin, Blue Environment
- John Van Meel, Pinegro
Waste/Recycling Employee of the Year
- Kristian D’Aloia, JJS Waste
- Christopher Valimberti, HiQ
Outstanding WARR Project: Metro
- City of Mitcham for Solar Panel Recycling Program
- Earthsure for The Taylors Road Resource Recovery Precinct
- enrich360 for Food Waste Diversion at the Source: A New Model for High-Rise Living
- Exchange for Change for Return and Earn Bin Baskets
- Quayclean Australia for Beyond the Bin
- Quayclean Australia for Setting the Stage
- REMONDIS Australia for The T2D Project
- Woolworths Group for Soft Plastics
Outstanding WARR Project: Regional
- BEDUNDO for Onsite Regional Mattress Disassembling Service
- Blue Mountains City Council for Towards Zero Waste Events
- Byron Shire Council for TrailerBlazers
- Exchange for Change for Return and Earn Bin Baskets
- Paintback for The Truemans Road Reserve Project
- Pinegro for The Pinegro Organics Resource Recovery Facility
- Veolia Australia and New Zealand for The Spreyton MRF
Outstanding Facility of the Year
- APR Recycling for Mark Anthony Drive Recycling Facility
- City of Parramatta for Community Recycling Centre
- Cleanaway Waste Management Limited for The Western Sydney MRF
- Earthsure for Soil Washing Facility
- EcoCycle Group for EcoBatt’s Battery-in-Device Shredding (BIDS) Plant
- Paintback for PaCE HQ
- Recycle Rewards (Cleanaway) for St Leonards Container Sorting Facility
- Salvos Stores for The Textile Recovery Facility
- TyreCycle (a ResourceCo company) for Port Hedland Facility
- Van Schaik’s Bio Gro for Dandenong South Organics Receival facility
- Yarra Valley Water for ReWaste Lillydale
Safety Excellence Award
- EcoBatt for The Battery-in-Device Shredding Plant
- ENCAPS for Integrated Fire Suppression solutions
- NT Waste Away for Emergency Response Plan
- Orange CC & Contained-waste Solutions for The LBin project
- Oscorp Energy for Avertas Automated Waste Monitoring and Fire Prevention System
- Sell & Parker for DG-Rated Battery Transport System
- Veolia Australia and New Zealand for Bibra Lake Resource Recovery Park Fire Safety Upgrade
- Visy for AAA Safety Controls Driving Operational Excellence
Recycled Product of the Year
- BigBuild Victoria for Eastern Freeway Upgrades – Bourke to Tram
- Boral for Envir-O-Agg® Blended Sand: Recycled Glass Sand Innovation
- Ecoolp for High‑Performance Recycled Construction Products Transforming Mixed Plastics into Sustainable Infrastructure
- GSNE for From Waste to Resource: Delivering 100 per cent Plasterboard Recovery and Creating a Circular Economy for Gypsum
- Paintback for Recycled Water-Based Paint
- Revolve Recycling for Preloved Bicycle with warranty
- RMIT & Bristille Roofing for Low carbon concrete roof tiles give industrial waste a new home
- RMIT University for SolarCrete
- Visy for Paper Bubble
- Visy for Re-In-Can-Ation
Start-up Company Award
- Adelaide Electrical Salvage
- ARRC Gold Coast
- Ecoolp
- IPMF Technologies
- Porous Lane
- WasteVision
- Waterzyme
WIAR Workplace of the Year
- Australian Environmental Auditors
- Green Collect
- Resource Recovery Australia
- TOMRA Cleanaway
Community Engagement Success of the Year
- ARRC
- Blue Mountains City Council
- Budget Waste Services
- City of Boroondara
- City of Stirling
- City of Stonnington
- Frankston City Council
- Mitchell Shire Council
- NT Waste Away Pty Ltd
- Willoughby City Council NSW
Operational Excellence Award
- Frankston City Council
- KingKira Group
- NT Waste Away
- OLEOLOGY
- Valoriza
- Woolworths Group
The gala dinner to announce the winners will be held on 29 October at Evoqe Events in Melbourne, providing the perfect opportunity to come together with industry peers and celebrate the achievements shaping the future of Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector.
Tickets are on sale now. Make sure you secure your place at the industry’s biggest night of the year. Get your tickets here.
Ticket enquiries
Marcel Rollo
marcel.rollo@primecreative.com.au
0422 775 448