AlburyCity has been named the national winner of the Keep Australia Beautiful Resource Recovery and Waste Management Award, and the Environmental Sustainability – Energy Award.
The resource recovery award recognises Albury’s leadership in recycling thousands of tonnes of goods that would otherwise go into landfill. The award acknowledges the city’s success in waste education as seen in the new SMART education centre, and also recognises the significance of the AWARE Upcycle Shop as an enterprise that’s making a substantial difference in social and environmental fields.
The energy award recognises Albury’s important work in developing renewable energy options, with solar power now making a significant contribution to reducing council’s carbon footprint.
AlburyCity Mayor Kevin Mack said the people of Albury and surrounding communities were the real winners of the awards.
“These are enormously significant awards that recognise the industry-leading practices at the Albury Waste Management Centre, but none of it could happen without the support and enthusiasm of our community,” he said.
“By embracing the resource recovery message, local residents and businesses are making an important contribution to a cleaner and more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.”
AlburyCity’s Team Leader, Resource Recovery, Andrea Baldwin, said the city was proud to be acknowledged for leading the way in resource recovery and alternative energy.
“We’ve been working together on a long-term plan to significantly change the way we as a community manage and recycle our waste, with the aim of not only halving the amount of waste buried at our landfill, but also ensuring that today’s young people are educated and highly engaged on ways of creating a cleaner world into the future,” she said.
Cr Mack has congratulated the other winners in the awards, including the overall winner, Hastings Council in Victoria, for achieving remarkable success towards a common goal of improving Australia’s environmental and social health.
“We’re seeing councils, and their communities, across Australia embracing the amazing goal of creating a more sustainable world and it was exciting to be part of a talented group that’s making such a difference in varying but equally important fields,” he said.
More information about the awards is available here.
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