| The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) announced the recipients of the 2025 National Recycling Awards during the National Recycling Congress, at Wichita State University, held October 1-3, 2025. The ceremony, led by Peter Adrian, of the Solid 91˛Öżâ Agency of Lake County (SWALCO), celebrated the most forward-thinking and impactful leaders, organizations, and programs advancing recycling, organics management, and circularity across the nation.
This year marked a milestone for the NRC Awards Program, with more than 60 nominations—the highest number in NRC history. The breadth and creativity of this year’s nominees reflected a national surge of innovation in waste reduction, resource recovery, and community engagement. Awards Chair Ann Gibbs commented, “The quality of nominations this year was truly exceptional. We saw an incredible range of creative, practical, and replicable solutions that are transforming recycling and circularity nationwide. Choosing the winners was both inspiring and incredibly difficult because the work being done across the country is so strong and diverse.” Peter Adrian, who served as the emcee for the in-person ceremony, echoed that enthusiasm. “It was energizing to see so many leaders gathered to celebrate real progress,” Adrian said. “These awardees aren’t just maintaining recycling programs, they’re reinventing them. They’re turning food waste into renewable energy, building equitable, community-led systems, and proving that circularity isn’t just a goal, it’s the future of sustainable development.” This year’s winners represent a remarkable breadth of creativity and measurable impact in advancing a circular economy. Domtar’s Kingsport Mill was recognized for transforming into Tennessee’s largest 100% recycled containerboard facility—a model of industrial-scale circularity that diverts hundreds of thousands of tons of recovered fiber annually. Green Era, located on Chicago’s South Side, was honored for its pioneering urban anaerobic digester that converts 85,000 tons of food waste into renewable natural gas and compost while reinvesting in local jobs and workforce training. Educational leaders also shined: Santa Monica College’s Sustainable Materials Management Program and Salinas Valley Recycles are preparing the next generation of zero-waste champions through immersive, bilingual education that equips students to lead sustainable change. earthday365 continues to elevate regional circularity in St. Louis, diverting over 6,700 tons of waste each year through restaurant certification, hard-to-recycle events, and community engagement. Osceola County’s Responsible Recycling Osceola Program earned national praise for its multilingual outreach, glass pulverizer demonstrations, and creative school partnerships that have reached over 40,000 residents. The program’s success in reducing contamination and inspiring community pride has positioned it as a scalable model for equitable, hands-on recycling education. For advancing state-level recycling policy and waste reduction, Senator Jana Hughes was highlighted for her leadership on introducing legislation to support battery stewardship and waste incentives. She plays a critical role in policy frameworks in enabling circular systems. Finally, the prestigious Lifetime Achievement in Recycling Award was presented to Susan Kinsella, Executive Director of Conservatree and founder of the Environmental Paper Network. Kinsella’s decades of leadership in sustainable paper and procurement have shaped national policy, jumpstarted recycled paper markets, and united more than 250 organizations around the world in advancing responsible production and reuse. Her work exemplifies the long-term vision and collaboration at the heart of the recycling movement. |
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