EPA Circular Economy Award 2024

Prize Winners 2024
Table below listing the 3 winners

Prize Winners 2024
National First Prize - Rush Tidy Towns, Co.Dublin
National Highly Commended - Swords Tidy Towns, Co. Dublin
National Highly Commended - Kinvara Tidy Towns, Co. Dublin

 

Rush Tidy Towns Co. Dublin 

The Rush Freestuff Facebook page has facilitated the reuse of over 60,000 items, with residents donating and requesting goods. The town held clothing and bicycle repair cafés and loaned out power and garden tools to avoid unnecessary purchases. The town has a community garden which supports local food production and serves as an educational space where students can learn to grow their own food. In addition, residents use the food waste app Olio to redistribute surplus food within the community, encouraging a more circular food system.

National First Prize - Rush Tidy Towns, Co.Dublin

 

Swords Tidy Towns, Co. Dublin

Swords was named runner-up in 2024. Swords hosted eight clothes swap events—including themed swaps for Halloween, Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day—promoting textile reuse and reducing waste. The town also organised repair workshops and seed swaps and reused paint sourced from the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun was used in local projects. Through partnerships with local schools, Swords supported educational initiatives to reduce waste, improve recycling habits, and improving composting systems on school grounds.

National Highly Commended - Swords Tidy Towns, Co.Dublin

 

 

Kinvara Tidy Towns, Co. Galway

Kinvara was also named a runner-up in 2024 in recognition of its three-year sustainable development plan, which was guided by the principles of the waste hierarchy. The town actively contributed to a circular economy by reducing single-use plastics through a plastic-free policy in schools and community centres, and by installing a public drinking water station to cut down on plastic bottle use. Kinvara also hosted its first successful seed and plant swap event which were shared to schools and gardening clubs. A range of swap shops—covering school uniforms, sports gear, and baby items—further promoted reuse within the community. In addition, Kinvara Tidy Towns ran social media campaigns that highlighted key sustainability topics such as reducing food waste, supporting local producers and farmers’ markets, and practical tips for living more sustainably.

National Highly Commended - Kinvara Tidy Towns, Co. Galway