Entrants can be submitted by individuals for themselves or by colleagues for someone who they feel has shown the dedication and skills to merit recognition as Recycling Officer of the Year. Judges will be looking for flair and enthusiasm in the way the local authority officer has played their part in achieving higher levels of recycling or other activities, including education, campaigns and minimisation. Submissions should include a brief career history, some facts and figures and at least one testimonial commenting on the individual's achievements. Finalists will be contacted for more information.

LARAC RECYCLING CHAMPION

This award is given to recognise a new idea which has proved a positive benefit in the delivery of recycling services within a local authority. The category is broad in approach and could involve a range of ideas whether in service planning and delivery, marketing, communication, equipment and other areas. The judges are likely to take into account the level of success from the new idea and whether this might be of benefit also to other local authorities or recycling officers generally. The entry need not be uniquely new in the sense that the extra development of an existing approach or product will also be considered.

BEST NEW IDEA

BEST WASTE MINIMISATION OR PREVENTION PROJECT

Data will be important in this category which aims to highlight successful projects, small or large, which have been instigated by local authority recycling officers to reduce waste generation and or prevent waste arising. Such work could involve the domestic and or commercial waste stream and results should be for a minimum of a six month period. It is expected that this award will be for within a single local authority area.

BEST TEAM OF THE YEAR

This category is eligible to any local authority team including front line staff (collections, recycling site operations etc.), recycling teams, teams set up to deliver short term projects (communications, community engagement etc.) or to work with colleagues in other departments. This does not include partnerships external to the local authority. The award is for the team that shows an exceptional level of team work, facilitating high-levels of problem solving and communication, whilst going above and beyond what is expected of them. The team will be able to showcase successful projects and explain how their team work helped achieve higher recycling and waste minimisation rates. Third party endorsement would be expected within entries.

BEST PARTNERSHIP AWARD

This award is for the local authority which has worked successfully with one or more partners that are within the private or third sectors or with others such as resident groups. It is not intended that this award will include work with other local authorities. Details should be submitted of the part played by the partner and the entry should elaborate on how working together has been advantageous to the aims of the partners and to how the work has impacted on the target audience. Data or other information to show whether this has helped with local recycling rates would be useful for this category.

This award will recognise work undertaken by a local authority to put over a specific message or set of messages in one campaign to groups within the local community or to the local area as a whole. A substantial part of the campaign must have involved the local authority although design input is allowed from the private sector or from use of WRAP material. Evidence of the success of the campaign will be expected and the campaign should be one that is likely to inspire or help other local authorities. Entrants should also show how they tested and developed the message in advance of a campaign launch and whether the target group(s) was reached.

BEST COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR