Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards

Thank you to everyone who has made a nomination in the 2026 Zero Waste Awards. Nominations are now closed for this year and the judges have made their decisions. Our winners, and all nominees will be celebrated at our awards night in early August.

These awards celebrate outstanding people and organisations whose heart and soul is in their zero waste kaupapa.

We look forward to celebrating the amazing mahi underway to reduce waste to landfill across Tāmaki Makaurau and recognising the people behind the stories.

2026 Award Categories

Rangatahi Leadership – Rangatahi, Rangawhenua, Rangatangata

This category celebrates ‘leaders in the making’, individuals and groups of rangatahi, under 21 years, showing commitment and leadership to reducing waste in their communities.

Mō te rangatahi e whakapau ngoi ana ki te hāpai me te ārahi i te kaupapa para kore.

The inspiration for the te reo Māori translation of this category is ‘a young net who weaves the land and weaves people’.

This award is supported by Uru Whakaaro.

Nominees for Rangatahi Leadership

• Alexandra Gibbons from Mahurangi Wastebusters
• Avondale College Enviro Group
• CNSST Foundation Wear the Future Team
• Green Bay High School Green Impact Group
• Hillsborough Playcentre tamariki
• Jackson Davida from Etū Rākau
• Leigh School tamariki
• Nitya Kakadiya from Macleans College
• Nixon Kayes from Fair Food
• Onehunga High School Enviro Group
• Orewa College Enviro Group
• Ōtāhuhu Intermediate Kotahitanga Team
• Rawiri Mercer from Waiōrea Community Recyclying Centre
• Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre – Youth Volunteers
• Youth of Ōrākei

Growing the Movement – Whakakanohi i te Kaupapa Para Kore

This category celebrates ‘local heroes’, individuals and groups, working voluntarily to raise awareness, inspire change, and tautoko the zero waste kaupapa.

Mō te pakihi, ratonga rānei e whakapau werawera, e whakakanohi ana hoki i te kaupapa para kore.

The inspiration for the te reo translation of this category is ‘the face of the zero waste movement’.

This award is supported by Be A Tidy Kiwi.

Nominees for Growing the Movement

• Amanda Hookham-Kraft from Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School
• Amy Law
• Andrea Muir from Neocrete
• Auckland Library of Tools
• Days For Girls
• DEANZ Repair Café
• Eric-Rangi Hillman
• Erika Andrell from English Language Partners
• Estella Lee from the Chinese Conservation Education Trust
• Francis Coutinho
• Giulio Laura from Tāmaki Zero Waste Hub
• Hannah Emson
• Jan Felton from West Auckland Resource Centre
• Jan Horton
• Janine Nillesen from Friends of the Farm
• Kristin School
• Lena Fedulova
• Rohan Hoddinott from West Auckland Resource Centre
• Sharlene Lim
• Sustainable Papakura
• Thread Lightly
• Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre Adult Volunteer Team
• Waste Free Leigh
• West Auckland Resource Centre

Community Collaboration – Hā Ora, Hāpori

This category is about ‘walking the talk’, celebrating those in paid roles demonstrating commitment to building community partnerships to reduce waste, in businesses, social enterprises, NGOs, and charitable organisations.

Mō te pakihi, ratonga rānei e mahi ngātahi ana ki te hapori kia para kore.

The inspiration for the te reo translation of this category is ‘clean air, community’.

This award is supported by Junk2Go.

Nominees for Community Collaboration

• 312 Day Committee
• A2Z Property Maintenance
• Ali Bostanabad from Compost Collective
• Amanda Hookham-Kraft from EcoMatters
• Anamata
• Aniket Kothe from Naylor Love
• Aotearoa Sustainability Grid
• Auckland Golf
• Auckland Zoo
• Beautification Trust: Packaging Recyclers
• Boot Gecko (Moko Kākāriki) Public Sculpture Initiative
• Chinese Conservation Education Trust
• Chinese Conservation Education Trust Love Cycling Centre
• Earth Action Trust
• Echo
• Fair Food
• Junky Monkeys
• Localised
• Lyn-Marie Harris from Dizzie Pixie Designs
• Meadowbank St Johns Residents Association
• Mike Fogarty from The Compost Co.
• New Zealand Food Network
• Noughty Wasters and Resource Recovery Devonport
• Raquel Sanga from ME Family Services
• Sarah Lightbody from Tāmaki WRAP
• Sustainable Papakura
• Tāmaki Wrap
• Thais Nafissi from the Glendowie College Sustainability Club
• Tineswari Maruthamuthu from The Mindful Mender
• Tō wāhi
• Young Onset Dementia Collective
• Zohra Amiri from the Selwyn College Refugee Education Programme

Cultural Connection – Whīria te Ahurea, Whīria te Kaitiakitanga

This category celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion, for individuals and groups, ‘keeping it local’, using cultural approaches to educate, inspire and manaaki communities to reduce waste.

Mō te tangata, rōpu rānei e whīria ana te ahurea hei whakamana i te kaupapa kia para kore.

The inspiration for the te reo translation of this category is ‘choose culture, choose guardianship’.

This award is supported by CNSST.

Nominees for Cultural Connection

• Aotearoa Sustainability Grid
• Arti Shukla from Aotearoa Sustainability Grid
• Chinese Conservation Education Trust
• Earth Action Trust and the Cornwall Park EcoHub
• English Language Partners
• Marama Hou Ministries Trust
• MPHS Community Trust
• Natasha Jumelet from Deaf Wellbeing Society
• New Zealand Sustainable Initiative Trust
• Planet FM – Access Community Radio Auckland
• Tapa Talanoa
• Te Papapa Whānau Vā
• TechDisOut
• Zero Waste Coordinators and ESOL Teachers

Innovation – Anga Whakamua

This category celebrates zero waste initiatives ‘making it happen’, demonstrating innovation, the circular economy in action and promising results.

Mō te auaha, mō te ihumanea, mō te ihuoneone e anga whakamua kia para kore.

The inspiration for the te reo translation of this category is ‘thinking ahead’.

This award is supported by Trow Group.

Nominees for Innovation

• Auckland Council’s Recovery Office
• Auckland Library of Tools
• Beautification Trust’s Packaging Recyclers
• CNSST Foundation’s Re-Creation with Love workshop
• Envirocon
• Everybody Eats
• Fair Food
• Fongky
• GoodWrap Recycling
• HEB Construction
• Kris Bird from Auckland Council’s Recovery Office
• Localised
• Pact Group
• Puhoi Organic Distillery
• Re:Circle
• The Sawmill Brewery
• Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre’s Craft Club

The te reo Māori framing for our category descriptions was generously undertaken by Reno Skipper, who as a kaiako (teacher) is dedicated to the well-being of his community of Kaipara and inspiring people of all ages in their journey of rediscovery of te reo Māori. Ngā mihi Reno. To learn more about Reno, watch this short video.

2026 Judging Panel

The 2026 awards judging panel is Charmaine Bailie (Director at Uru Whakaaro), Justine Haves (Auckland Council, Waste Solutions General Manager), Pesetā – Petelo Esekielu (Auckland Council, Community Innovation Specialist), and Carla Gee (EcoMatters CEO).

Key dates

June 2026: judging

July 2026: invitations sent

Early August 2026: awards event in central city

STAYING IN TOUCH

If you would like to support the awards through sponsorship and reach the zero waste community in Tāmaki Makaurau, please contact Ana Davison by email: [email protected]

If you have any questions about the awards or wish to join the mailing list for future updates, please contact Ana Davison by email: [email protected]

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PAST AWARDS

Photos and information about previous awards including winners and nominees are available from these links below.

💚 Read about the 2024 Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards

💚 Read about the 2022 Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards

💚 Read about the 2021 Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards

2024 winners stories

Growing the Movement – Whakakanohi i te kaupapa para kore

Community Collaboration – Hā ora, Hāpori

Cultural Connection – Whīria te ahurea, whīria te kaitīakitanga

Innovation – Anga whakamua