Finalists announced for Awards for Excellence

More than 150 entries were received over nine categories this year covering efforts and innovations across the retail, business, community and local authority sectors.

The winners will be announced on October 16 at the awards ceremony to be held this year in the Millenium Hotel, Mayfair, London.

The awards, run by letsrecycle.com, highlight the success and dedication displayed on all levels of the recycling and waste management chain, from the Commercial and High Street Champions, Best Collection Crew and Local Authority Champions, through to the cream of the nation's recycling initiatives and innovation in the latest recycling and waste facilities.

This year the Awards for Excellence are again supported by Defra, the Environment Agency, the Environmental Services Association, and the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers.

There are nine categories and the shortlist for 2008 includes three finalists in each:

High street recycling champion – sponsored by Severnside

Daisyroot Books – This dedicated book recycling firm saves books from landfill and gives them a new lease of life;
Dreams – Diverted 427 tonnes of waste from landfill by shredding and recycling 40,000 beds;
Wilkinson Group – Taking the initiative with business waste across its stores.

Commercial recycling champion – sponsored by Valpak

Robert Smith, Rockwood Pigments – Working to reduce waste to landfill in the production of solvents and pigments;
Samantha Stevens, Homebase – For the “Putting waste in its place” scheme which has reduced waste to landfill from its stores by 40%;
Sayers the Bakers, Bolton – For achieving a 45% reduction in waste sent to landfill.

Waste management initiative in the commercial and public sector – sponsored by Shanks Waste Solutions

PDM Oilsense – For turning used cooking into fuel and reducing oil wastage;
Trenchmod – For reducing construction waste going to landfill and preventing the import of aggregates;
Tube Lines – Reducing material consumption and waste to landfill while maintaining and upgrading the London Underground.

Innovation in design of a waste management facility – sponsored by ESTET

Closed Loop Recycling, Dagenham -For incorporating innovative design and technology into its plastics recycling facility;
North Down Recycling & Environmental Information Centre, Bangor – For creating an eye-catching energy, waste and recycling centre;
TEG Environmental, Todmorden – For creating a 21st century composting facility.

Collection crew of the year – sponsored by SITA UK

Can-Do Community Recycling, Fraserburgh – Providing a local contribution to global conservation;
Collection Round 7, Hertsmere borough council – For offering a professional and committed service to Hertsmere residents;
Tom Harris, Darren Arran & Martin Rolls, Three Rivers district council – For giving householders a safe and efficient service and making the time to get it right.

The best community recycling initiative – sponsored by Greenstar

Airedale Computer Recycling, Castleford – Reviving waste WEEE and helping the long term unemployed back into work;
Delroys Plastics, The Brandon Trust – Providing a plastic bottle collection service in Bristol and a business opportunity for Delroy Smith;
Freecycle – Keeping waste out of landfill through re-use, recycling and responsibility at a local level.

Civic amenity site of the year – sponsored by REPIC Limited

Bideford Recycling Centre, Devon county council – For achieving a recycling rate of 65% and supporting the local economy;
Chaldon Road CRC, Caterham, Surrey Waste Management – For demonstrating exceptional improvement in difficult circumstances;
Recycle at Rubbish Revived, Veolia Environmental Services and Southampton city council – For increasing recycling by 12.23% and offering access to the whole community.

The best local authority recycling initiative – AbitibiBowater Recycling Europe

Islington council – Offering a doorstep or near-entrance recycling service to all residents using a digital mapping system;
Race to Recycle, Preston city council – For encouraging inner city residents to race to recycle and reducing refuse collection;
Project Integra, materials analysis facility – Analysing recycling to improve quality and help prevent contamination.

Local authority recycling champion – sponsored by UPM Kymmene

Alice Geary, recycling project officer, Bedfordshire county council – For helping increase composting tonnage in Bedfordshire by 12.3% thanks to her commitment to the food waste collection trial;
Julie Rankine, waste strategy manager, Scottish Borders council – For helping to get 90% of Scottish Borders residents to recycle regularly.
David Mansell, project manager, Somerset Waste Partnership – Has contributed to recycling over the years and is a leading light at the Somerset Waste Partnership.

Chairman of the judging panel, Chris Davey, manager of local authority relations for the Waste and Resources Action Programme said: “It gets more difficult to choose finalists each year. I was impressed by the commitment to recycling shown by all the entrants and, like last year, the number and quality of the entries was of a very high standard.”

Steve Eminton, editor of letsrecyle.com, added: “We've seen a fantastic amount of entries to the Awards for Excellence this year and it just goes to show all the good work that is happening within waste management companies, community groups and local authorities.

“The standard of all submissions was exceptional and I would like to say thank you to all entrants and congratulations to the finalists.”