North East Lincolnshire Council’s Environmental Services teams won big at the awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management.
The teams responsible for domestic waste, recycling and garden waste collections in North East Lincolnshire won first prize at the national awards on Friday. Working with colleagues from the Community Recycling Centres, Bulky Waste collections, Street Cleansing, and staff seconded from other departments, their efforts kept the service going and gave the public a better understanding of the challenges they face. They won for their commitment and spirit in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Sam Corp, head of regulation at the Environmental Services Association, described how the entries reflected “an incredible and diverse” range of activities which had all helped the waste and recycling sector from industry to local authorities deliver services during a challenging year.
Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for Environment and Transport at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I’m immensely proud of our environmental services staff for the way they responded to the pandemic.
“This award recognises their achievements at a national level and is thoroughly deserved. They responded swiftly to the coronavirus pandemic in March and did their utmost to keep vital services running during the lockdown. During a period of great uncertainty, they banded together and found innovative ways to engage with the community. Too often taken for granted, they celebrated their key worker status and were overwhelmed by the public’s messages of support.”
Chris Dunn, deputy head of operations, said: “Our staff will be delighted with this award which has come at just the right time as we head into yet another lockdown. I am very proud of our team and this award is not just for North East Lincolnshire Council, but for all our staff who have been working tirelessly through these difficult times and for our community who have shown us all so much support. Our entry was titled Heroes on the Doorstep to acknowledge the work they do and celebrate the public’s show of respect and gratitude during the first lockdown.”
Hosts of this year’s online awards were Letsrecycle.com editor Steve Eminton and associate editor Caelia Quinault.
Judges included Mr Eminton, Carole Taylor, chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee, Julia Turner, executive director of the Wood Recyclers Association, Jacob Hayler, executive director of the Environmental Services Association, and Jarno Stet, secretary of the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers.
The keynote speaker this year was Ray Georgeson MBE, of Ray Georgeson Resources, who has long experience in the sector, including roles at WRAP, WasteWatch and the Resource Association.
Mr Georgeson said this year’s awards ceremony is a “declaration of great work, great projects, innovations and acknowledgement of sterling work that has been done during covid”.
He said: “A note of congratulations to nominees and winners, but everyone is a winner in a ceremony like this. I want to say thank you for the sterling service that all nominees continue to provide to our sector.”
New categories were added to this year’s awards, including the individual or team response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Article and image from NELC.
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