Cal/EPA HHW Awards

 

Cal/EPA’s Household Hazardous Waste Program awards are intended to promote and recognize local programs engaged in pollution prevention, hazard reduction, and waste stream toxicity reduction and recycling. This is accomplished by recognizing programs, agencies, and individuals in various categories for the achievements of their HHW program activities in calendar year 2008. Awards will be made in each category based on the nominations received on or before the entry deadline of 5:00 PM on
October 9, 2009. The Awards Committee reserves the right to award none, one or more award in each category based on the quality of the nominations received.

 

All awards will be presented during the 2009 Statewide Used Oil Recycling/Household Hazardous Waste Training & Conference to be held on November 3-4, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sacramento, California. Every attempt will be made to notify award recipients by October 23, 2009. The award recipient or designated representative is expected to be in attendance to accept the award.

 

ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA

The awards are open to all California household, household/Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG), and recycle-only collection programs. Anyone can submit a nomination for a program, process, or person fitting the award category criteria. More than one entry may be submitted for each program, (i.e., a program may be nominated in more than one category). Each nomination needs to be submitted on a separate nomination form.

 

All nominees must be in good regulatory standing. This includes submittal of an annual Form 303 and compliance with all applicable universal waste handling, notification and reporting requirements.

 

NOMINATION EVALUATION

All nominees will be judged against the criteria listed for the award category. Nominations are reviewed for completeness by the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee reserves the right to either solicit additional information or return any incomplete nomination packages. All nominations and accompanying documentation received become the property of the Awards Committee.

 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A separate nomination form MUST be used for each award category. In the interests of waste minimization, nominations should be succinct (500 words, max) and brevity is appreciated.

 

Awards may be submitted electronically (click here) or by mail to:

 

DTSC – Consumer Products Section
Cal/EPA Headquarters Building
1001 I Street
P.O. Box 806
Sacramento, CA 95812-1509
ATTN: HHW Awards

 

All nominations must be received on or before close of business (5:00 PM) on October 9, 2009. Faxed entries will not be accepted and deadline extensions will not be made.

 


AWARD CATEGORIES

 

PEOPLE
Submission requirement: The nomination form and a color photo of the nominee are required. Please complete the online nomination form and email the color photo to Andre Algazi at aalgazi@dtsc.ca.gov. Be sure to include “Awards Nomination” in the subject line of the email, and the name of the person submitting the nomination along with the nominee’s name, organization, and award category in the body of the email. If you choose to print, complete, and mail the nomination packet, please include color photos and/or any supporting documentation with the packet. 

 

  • Outstanding Personal Service Award: To recognize an individual for outstanding service in promoting pollution prevention and the reduction of hazardous components in municipal waste streams, and otherwise promoting the preservation and improvement of California’s environment. Examples include: setting risk-based priorities using the best, most up-to-date available scientific information; and preventing pollution from being created within the State.

 

POLICY
Submission requirement: Please complete the online nomination form and email the other supporting documents, including press releases, articles and photographs, to Andre Algazi at aalgazi@dtsc.ca.gov. Be sure to include “Awards Nomination” in the subject line of the email, and the name of the person submitting the nomination along with the nominee’s name, organization, and award category in the body of the email. If you choose to print, complete, and mail the nomination packet, please include color photos and/or any supporting documentation with the packet. 

 

  • Outstanding Policy Advancement Award: To recognize the best, most innovative, or forward moving policy enacted at the federal, state, local, or product-category level over the past year. Policy categories may include, but are not limited to:
    • New policy/rule/guideline from U.S. EPA;
    • New language in federal, state, or local laws or ordinances;
    • A new guideline developed and agreed to by an industrial association.

PROGRAM
Submission requirements for program awards: Please complete the online nomination form and email the other supporting documents, including photographs, to Andre Algazi at aalgazi@dtsc.ca.gov. Be sure to include “Awards Nomination” in the subject line of the email, and the name of the person submitting the nomination along with the nominee’s name, organization, and award category in the body of the email. If you choose to print, complete, and mail the nomination packet, please include color photos and/or any supporting documentation with the packet. 

 

  • Best New Program Award: To recognize the best new HHW program implemented at the local level during the 2008 calendar year. The program should be balanced and include, at a minimum: HHW collection services, a public education/outreach component, and an evaluation mechanism.
  • CESQG Pollution Prevention (P2) Award: To recognize the best or most innovative example of pollution prevention for CESQGs, a new process used by high priority businesses to reduce their hazardous waste, or a public/private partnership to promote P2 among CESQGs with documented results.
  • Program Excellence Award: To recognize a model, outstanding program that addresses household and CESQG hazardous waste management at the local level. The program should promote pollution prevention and the reduction of hazardous components in municipal waste streams.
  • Program Innovation Award: To recognize unique and effective innovations in either HHW or CESQG services, including such categories as: best recycling/reuse strategies; best documented educational strategies resulting in positive behavior change(s); and/or best documented hazard reduction.
  • Outstanding Rural Program Award: To recognize a jurisdiction that has developed a comprehensive and sustainable HHW and/or CESQG collection program in a rural area. Programs recognized may include a large or small local, rural program and/or a non-profit program.
  • Togetherness Award: To recognize a public/private partnership that exemplifies outstanding coordination and cooperation in the implementation of a HHW and/or CESQG collection program. The program should demonstrate increased efficiencies resulting from the committed involvement of all partners. Programs recognized may include regional partnerships.
  • Best New E-Waste Collection Program: To recognize the best new E-waste program implemented at the local level during the 2008 calendar year that is balanced and includes, at a minimum, E-waste collection services, public education and outreach, and a collection evaluation mechanism.
  • Most Unique E-Waste Program: To recognize the most unique and/or innovative E-waste program implemented at the local level during the 2008 calendar year (e.g. innovation in strategy, education and behavioral changes, hazard reduction, etc.).

 

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE (Special recognition)
Submission requirements: The Nomination Form and a short, entertaining story to be read at the time of the award. Please submit your short story in the field entitled “Nomination Summary/Narrative” on the Nomination Form. To submit photographs, email them to Andre Algazi at aalgazi@dtsc.ca.gov. Be sure to include “Awards Nomination” in the subject line of the email, and the name of the person submitting the nomination along with the nominee’s name, organization, and award category in the body of the email. If you choose to print, complete, and mail the nomination packet, please include color photos and/or any supporting documentation with the packet. 

 

  • Pickled Skunk Brains Award: To recognize the most unusual item received at a HHW or CESQG collection service during the past year.
  • Picric Acid Award: To recognize the most explosive situation at a HHW or CESQG collection service during the past year.
  • Strange Occurrence Award: To recognize either the wildest documented story presented to a program in order to convince staff to accept waste, or the most unique customer who came in.

     
 VISUAL AWARD
Submission requirements: The Nomination Form and a short, entertaining story to be read at the time of the award. Please submit your short story in the field entitled “Nomination Summary/Narrative” on the Nomination Form. To submit photographs, email them to Andre Algazi at aalgazi@dtsc.ca.gov. Be sure to include “Awards Nomination” in the subject line of the email, and the name of the person submitting the nomination along with the nominee’s name, organization, and award category in the body of the email. If you choose to print, complete, and mail the nomination packet, please include color photos and/or any supporting documentation with the packet. 

 

  • Picturesque Award: To recognize the best photo of an HHW, Used Oil or CESQG collection with the most unique or creative occurrence or the most innovative post-event use of HHW collected, etc.

 

All submissions must be received by 5:00 p.m. (PST) on October 9, 2009.

 

Submit an Award Nomination