Award Catergories

People Award

Please submit a color photo of the nominee.

Jaimy Gentry Personal Community Service Award: To recognize an individual for outstanding service in promoting household hazardous waste, used oil and pollution prevention programs, along with the reduction of hazardous waste streams and promoting California’s environmental standards.

Policy Award

Outstanding Policy/Legislative Advancement: To recognize the best, most innovative or forward moving policy or piece of legislation enacted at the federal, state, local or product-category level.  Categories may include:

  • A new legislative act, or government policy, rule or guideline issued from US EPA or other Federal agency that promotes toxics reduction, product stewardship and advances HHW and Used Oil programs;
  • New policies, legislation or local ordinances promoting toxics reduction, pollution prevention, EPR and best management practices enacted at the State or local level;
  • A new guideline or product reformulation developed to reduce product toxicity and hazardous components and endorsed by an industrial association.

Program Awards

Best Public/Private Partnership: To recognize businesses, government agencies, and non-profits that have worked together as partners to further demonstrate innovative solutions and cost effective approaches that achieve the goals of toxics reduction, program innovation and increased community awareness of HHW, CESQG, used oil or pollution prevention programs.

Program Innovation: To recognize unique and effective innovations in HHW, CESQG or Used Oil recycling programs, including best management practices, best recycling/reuse strategies or best documented hazardous waste reduction.  Programs should demonstrate “thinking outside the box”, be mindful of limited resources and have ability to be replicated by other agencies.

  • TWO Awards will be offered in this category:
    • Small Programs: Jurisdictions with a population of 100,000 or less
    • Large Programs­: Jurisdictions with a population over 100,000

Public Outreach/Education (MUST SUBMIT A VIDEO):To recognize unique and effective outreach strategies via direct community action or videos/commercial/advertisements for either HHW, Used Oil or CESQG services, including categories such as:

  • Best recycling/reuse strategies;
  • Best documented educational strategies;
  • Best documented hazard reduction

On the Lighter Side 

One in a Million: To recognize the most unusual item received, and/or strange or unexpected event at an HHW, Used Oil or CESQG program. 

Special submission requirements: In addition to the overall submission requirements, the nominee should submit a short story, accompanied by photos and/or a video documenting the occurrence. Recognizing that the nominee may not have a photo or video of the "actual" occurrence, the Awards Committee encourages production of videos which may 'safely' re-enact the scene or specific occurrence. All videos received will be shown at the Conference.

Nominations may be submitted electronically here.