The EPA's vision is for a Tasmania that is clean, healthy and sustainable. The EPA's objective is to protect and enhance the quality of the Tasmanian environment in balance with economic and social values, and the needs of future generations.
The EPA is proud to sponsor two Award categories:
- The EPA Sustainability Award (Industry)
- The EPA Sustainability Award (Community)
Both Awards are part of the Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards, run by
Awards Australia, and aim to acknowledge businesses and/or organisations from any industry or community sector who have developed and implemented cleaner production initiatives that have delivered measurable improvements in preventing pollution, conserving energy and water, minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency.
Submissions should be for a project or initiative that results in measurable improvements in any or all of the following areas: energy efficiency, water conservation, resource efficiency, waste minimisation; and results in the wider community or flow-on benefits to the sector.
Awards Australia
For more information about the Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards, and how to submit an application for the EPA Sustainability Award, go to the Awards Australia website.
The EPA Sustainability Award (Industry)
Lenah Game Meats harvests and processes wild Bennett's Wallaby, Brushtail Possums and deer into high-value food and fibre products from animals that would otherwise be culled and wasted. Wallaby meat is Lenah's signature product, a high-quality meat containing low levels of embedded carbon. Wallaby harvesting offers a new paradigm for Tasmanian agriculture, enabling landowners to produce high quality, low embedded carbon protein. Consumption of Lenah's wallaby meat has abated over 92,000,000kg of carbon emissions over 31 years of operation. The business prioritises zero waste, with creative uses for skins, bones, and other by-products.
Other finalists were:
Bluestone Mines Tasmania JV Pty Ltd, whose focus on improving technology and empowering their people, resulted in enhanced water resource efficiency and significant environmental benefits.
- Scorpion Pest Management, who provides environmentally sustainable pest control solutions throughout Tasmania and are recognised as leaders in the pest control industry, and
TasPorts, who have implemented a sustainable, low impact, environmentally positive solution for a large-scale wharf infrastructure project.
The EPA Sustainability Award (Community)
Sustainable Living Tasmania is transforming environmental education. Their Energised Learning project embeds renewable energy into the STEM curriculum across Tasmanian secondary schools. It engages students in real-world, practical, and hands-on sustainability challenges, including designing solar hot water systems, converting bikes to electric power, and creating a mobile renewable power station. These projects have significantly improved energy efficiency, reduced carbon footprints, and fostered a culture of environmental responsibility. By connecting students with industry professionals and tradespeople, the project enhances learning experiences and career prospects. Its resource-sharing efforts continue to inspire and support broader adoption of sustainable practices.
Other finalists were:
Bin to Win, Centacare Evolve Housing, promoting waste education, community engagement, and sustainability while removing and recycling over 140 carloads of waste in Brighton annually.
Eastside Repair Café, who have repaired 492 items and diverted over 400kg of household items and waste from landfill since 2022.
Huon Valley Council, whose Volunteer Landcare Nursery fosters environmental sustainability, community engagement, and habitat restoration through native plant propagation, benefiting local ecosystems and communities,.
The EPA Sustainability Award (Industry)
The Udder Way of Kings Meadows is at the forefront of dairy sustainability with their groundbreaking 18-litre LDPE kegs and cutting-edge dispensing systems.
These eco-conscious solutions have eliminated up to 7,000 single-use plastic bottles per keg, resulting in a remarkable reduction of 302.4 kilograms of plastic waste over each keg's eight to ten-year lifespan.
Certified by HACCP International for food safety, these kegs conserve resources, enhance storage efficiency, and elevate user convenience.
The Udder Way's innovative smartphone app further empowers stakeholders and consumers to trace product origins and validate their commitment to a plastic-free dairy industry, driving impactful change on multiple fronts.
Other finalists were:
Enginuity Power Solutions of South Launceston reduced clients' carbon emissions by an astounding 2.5 million kg annually, making significant contributions to cleaner air, health, agriculture, and the economy.
Meander Valley Council of Westbury introduced the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection service in July 2022, which yielded significant environmental, economic, and community benefits. This innovative initiative diverts 1,234 tonnes of organic material away from landfills annually, recycling it into nutrient-rich compost.
Ramble Folk of Lulworth is a sustainable clothing and homewares brand committed to reusing and upcycling materials. Their innovative approach centres on transforming upcycled, vintage, and leftover materials into designer products, making 'Reuse' not only eco-friendly but also stylish.
The EPA Sustainability Award (Community)
Dover & Far South Recycling Unit has made a significant impact in rural Tasmania by diverting 223 kilos of small waste from landfills.
Established in June 2022, it addressed critical challenges, including a lack of recycling options, awareness, and local government involvement. Through workshops, market stalls, and local engagement, it fostered recycling awareness, responsible consumption, and affordable, sustainable living.
While it doesn't aim for economic gains, it indirectly benefits the community by drawing visitors and earning points for local charities. By reducing landfill waste and promoting environmental sustainability, it exemplifies the potential of grassroots efforts.
Other finalists were:
Hobart Bike Kitchen (HBK) has been a driving force behind transforming its community since its inception in 2009. Through recycling old bikes and parts, they've diverted hundreds from landfills, championing environmental sustainability. Beyond bikes, HBK promotes cycling and healthy transport, benefiting individuals' health, reducing pollution, and fostering a stronger, better-connected community.
Ramble Folk of Lulworth is a pioneering sustainable brand specialising in crafting designer products from upcycled, vintage, and leftover materials, helping reduce textile waste and promote a #reuserevolution. By using only second-hand materials, they've diverted tons of textile waste from landfills and reduced the demand for new products, with every item made right in Australia.
Women's Health Tasmania (WHT) won the 2022 EPA Sustainability Award for its project to reduce landfill at the Hobart City Council tip by supporting women to try reusable period friendly underwear.
Menstrual products are single-use and have a big impact on the environment, contributing approximately 18,000 metric tonnes of waste to landfill every year in Australia.
Unfortunately, cost is a significant barrier to take up of reusable period friendly underwear. This project aimed to give women on low incomes a chance to try period friendly underwear.
Women's Health Tasmania formed a partnership with Australian underwear brand Modibodi, who provided bulk underwear to the project at marginal cost. The project also received an Urban Sustainability Grant from Hobart City Council, providing 252 women and non-binary people on low incomes with five free pairs of period-friendly underwear.
Women's Health Tasmania's nomination provided excellent data demonstrating how the project has been successful and has led to them obtaining continued support to start work on phase two of the project.
The other three finalists were:
Hobart City Council of Hobart became the first city in Australia to adopt a Single Use Plastic By-Law in 2021. The by-law bans problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic takeaway food packaging. It is estimated that the by-law prevents 600 tonnes of single-use plastics from going to landfills annually, equivalent to around 150 trucks full of waste. The Council also implemented the provision of public place organics bins.
Resource Work Cooperative - Timber Reclamation of South Hobart was founded in 2021 as a new department, to reclaim vintage timbers from landfills and demolition projects and provide good quality dressed timbers below market value. They have salvaged an extra 9,000 kgs of timber destined for landfill or firewood. Resource also created a new workshop space, South Hobart Tip Shop, where they promote and educate about the reuse of materials.
Spring Bay Mill of Triabunna is a 43-hectare waterfront site and former wood chip mill that has been creatively upcycled into a specialised events destination. The Mill has decreased water use by 90%. Their Beach Shacks are supplied by rainwater, solar-powered and use a compostable toilet system. They have taken catering completely in-house. In 2021, they spread 9 million native plant seeds over 5,000 square metres.
The University of Tasmania won the 2021 EPA Sustainability Award for its commitment to recycling and waste minimisation. They have delivered significant changes to bring together procurement, re-use, recycling and composting.
The University has demonstrated commitment to supporting staff and students in making sustainable decisions around material resources use and disposal.
They have introduced a Waste Minimisation Action Plan, which aims to engage the entire University community in achieving resource recovery and waste minimisation objectives. In particular targeting a 25% reduction of landfilled waste by 2025, with a longer-term aspiration to achieve zero waste to landfill.
The University has delivered new buildings with in-built 'deconstructibility' in mind. They also run a Re-Use Program, which lists unwanted furniture suitable for re-use.
The University actively encourages students to participate in achieving positive sustainability outcomes through the Sustainability Integration Program for Students, which provides meaningful opportunities for students to apply their learning to real world sustainability challenges. In turn, this assists the University of Tasmania to have a positive environmental impact on the world and to be a leader in sustainable campus management.
The other three finalists were:
Hydro Tasmania of Hobart introduced Too Good To Waste, a waste minimisation program, revealing that an astonishing 90% of the waste sent to landfills could be diverted through re-use, recycling or composting. Hydro Tasmania introduced new waste streams, including organics, soft plastics and coffee pod recycling. They educate their staff on the waste hierarchy and encourage reusables. They have also partnered with specialty recycling services.
Harvest Launceston Community Farmers' Market is a community hub and food destination that has set several environmental standards in its Charter that support waste minimisation and environmentally friendly initiatives. They introduced the Food Organic Garden Organic (FOGO) bins after identifying that 95% of the market could be composted. They have assigned 'Waste Educators' at each FOGO bin, providing direction, education and advice to marketgoers.
Launceston General Hospital (Food Services Department) runs a Food Waste Recovery Program where they recycle wasted food from the commercial kitchen bins into compost. They are successfully diverting 35 wheelie bins or 1,750 kilograms of food waste from landfills every week. The reduction in methane emissions by composting is equivalent to removing five cars permanently each year. They are also implementing more eco-friendly or compostable packaging.
2020 - Neville Smith Forest Products Pty Ltd of Mowbray for its commitment to cleaner production, waste minimisation and energy efficiency, and demonstrating measurable benefits to the environment and the timber industry, through installing a pellet factory mill at its Mowbray Remount Road site, removing tonnes of timber processing residue from landfill to produce a consumer product of wood pellets (in 15kg bags) for use in pellet heaters, boilers, outdoor fires or barbecues.
2019 - Lion Dairy & Drinks of Lenah Valley for its commitment to cleaner production, waste minimisation and environmental sustainability
2018 - Clean Rivers and Fert$mart Partners of Port Sorell for their achievements in protecting and improving water quality on dairy farms around the State
2017 - Hobart City Council for its Waste Management Strategy 2015-30, a blueprint to achieve zero waste to landfill
2016 - Botanical Resources Australia (BRA) and Greenhams Tasmania for their conversion of pyrethrum waste into clean biofuel briquettes as a substitute for coal
2015 - Veolia for its design of a $7 million waste management depot at Sorell
2014 - Hazell Bros Group for their environmental management and rehabilitation at the Leslie Vale Quarry
2013 - Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary for its education and conservation programs promoting caring for wildlife