SWANA Gives Props to Peers at WASTECON

Leslie Harrison

THE SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Md., is presenting its Excellence Awards during WASTECON, Oct. 14-16 in St. Louis. The awards acknowledge those who have excelled in several areas of solid waste management or environmental protection issues, through research, writing or political action.

Among SWANA's top honors is the Lawrence Lecturer award, which recognizes an individual as a national or international leader in the industry. Bill Wolpin, editorial director for Waste Age magazine, is the recipient of the 2003 Lawrence Lecturer award. Wolpin was selected by the Lawrence Lecture Board of Trustees. He will receive an honorarium at this year's luncheon.

The Professional Achievement awards recognize industry leaders and organizations for contributions to SWANA, to solid waste management and to public health and environmental protection. Four SWANA members will be presented with this award. Michael Long, executive director for the Grove City, Ohio-based Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO), is this year's recipient of the Regular Member award. Richard Haughey, senior project manager at San Jose, Calif.-based EMCON/OWT will receive the Corporate Member award. Laurence Carter, the former director of Cumberland County, N.C., Solid Waste Management, will accept the Retired Member award. Finally, H. Lanier Hickman, SWANA's first executive director, will receive the Life Member award.

Also, SWANA will present N.C. Vasuki with the Robert L. Lawrence Distinguished Service Award, which is presented to an industry leader SWANA determines has been an exemplary employee. Vasuki is the general manager of the Delaware Solid Waste Authority, Dover, and was among the first to promote, develop and implement field trials of bioreactor landfills.

SWANA's Technical Division Excellence awards highlight success in solid waste management, from recycling and marketing, to waste-to-energy and public education. Entrants vie for the gold, silver or bronze award in each category.

Gold winners are: the Southeastern Public Service Authority of Virginia, Chesapeake, for the Solid Waste Management System award; Turnkey Recycling Environmental Enterprise, Gonic, N.H., for the Landfill Management award; Navy Whidbey Recycle, Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Wash., for the Composting award; Hennepin County Transfer Station-Hennepin County Environmental Services, Brooklyn Park, Minn., for the Transfer Station Collection and Transfer award; the city of Hamilton Public Works Department, Waste Management Division, Ontario, for the Communication and Marketing award; and Mesa County Solid Waste Management, Grand Junction, Colo., for the Special Waste award.