NSW EPA
NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Chair Rayne de Gruchy has congratulated all the winners in the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW 2020 Sustainable Communities Tidy Towns Awards.
Ms de Gruchy, who attended the awards event in Murrurundi in the Upper Hunter Valley, presented the Waste Less Recycle More, Waste Minimisation Award, to Albury City Council. Kyogle Together Inc and Lifeline Country to Coast (Broken Hill) also received this award in smaller population categories.
Tilligerry Community Association received a highly commended for the Don't be a Tosser! Litter Action Award.
Ms de Gruchy congratulated each of the winners for their dedicated efforts to care for the environment and said the awards provided excellent recognition of their achievements.
"All those who received the KAB NSW awards should be very proud of their hard work. Special mention must go to Albury for winning the Waste Minimisation Award and the overall Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns Award," Ms de Gruchy said.
"The work acknowledged by the awards is driven by volunteers and the EPA proudly supports awards which promote local solutions which go to reducing waste and changing behaviours, for a more sustainable future."
Exchange for Change CEO Danielle Smalley praised the Wilcannia Local Aboriginal Land Council on winning the overall Return and Earn Litter Prevention Award.
"The Wilcannia project is a wonderful community-led initiative that has inspired this small and close-knit community and delivered real and visible change across the district," Ms Smalley said.
The Wilcannia Local Aboriginal Land Council won for their container recycling initiative which has reduced litter in Wilcannia by an astonishing 60 per cent. In May 2019 they established an over-the-counter collection centre which took more than 175,000 drink bottles and cans in the first 10 months.
The centre delivers a range of activities to change waste behaviour across the town, including running regular re-use workshops at Wilcannia Central School and the Youth Drop-in Centre.
"These innovative achievements by schools, community groups, not-for-profits and local government across the state show a widespread drive towards sustainability," Ms Smalley said.
The Keep Australia Beautiful NSW 2020 Sustainable Communities Tidy Towns Awards recognise, celebrate and reward the sustainability achievements of rural and regional communities across NSW, and are organised by Keep Australia Beautiful NSW.
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