Lake Macquarie City Council has been lauded for its commitment to sustainability, taking out a top prize at this year's Business Hunter Awards.
Council won the Excellence in Sustainability category, recognising a business in the Hunter Region that best demonstrated a commitment to both adopting sustainable practices and reducing environmental impact.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said Council's nomination outlined its new Waste and Circular Materials Strategy, the success of its green bin system, the switch to a bookable bulky waste service and its EV Charging Strategy.
"Over the past 12 months, we have delivered exceptional sustainability outcomes, with tangible benefits for the community and our environment," he said.
"We are now recycling and composting 55 per cent of household waste. And our two Community Recycling Centres at Awaba and Belmont are diverting another 120 tonnes of problem wastes from landfill each year."
Director Service Delivery Helen Plummer said the award also recognised the ongoing success of the Living Smart Festival, whose next instalment will be held this Saturday, 19 September at Speers Point Park.
"These initiatives all reflect a coordinated, evidence-based approach that embeds sustainability across every level of our organisation," she said.
Council was also a finalist in the evening's Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion category, while Swansea Lakeside Holiday Park was a finalist for Outstanding Visitor Experience.
Mayor Adam said Lake Macquarie businesses featured heavily across the awards, demonstrating the city's growing standing as a business powerhouse.
Spectrum Communications was named the region's Employer of Choice, Strata Tech Solutions won Outstanding New Business and both Catalina Motel Lake Macquarie and A Growing Understanding won highly commended awards for their Excellence in Innovation and Medium Business categories, respectively.
