Circle of Change Awards

The Tire Recycling Foundation Circle of Change Awards program is a national recognition program honoring organizations, teams, and individuals who are advancing tire recycling technologies, expanding end-use markets, and demonstrating leadership in sustainability and circular economy principles. 

The Circle of Change Awards highlight the people and partnerships turning challenges into opportunities, building markets, driving innovation, and shaping a more sustainable future for end-of-life tire management across the United States.

Award Recognition

Award recipients will receive:

• A custom-engraved plaque presented during the Awards Luncheon at the 10th Tire Recycling Conference on May 14, 2026.
• The opportunity to share brief acceptance remarks during the ceremony.
• Recognition in conference materials, on the Tire Recycling Foundation website, and through press releases and social media channels following the event.
• This is a recognition-only program—no monetary award is associated with these honors. 

Timeline

Applications and Nominations Open: December 15, 2025

Deadline for Applications and Nominations: February 8, 2026

Finalists Announced: March 9, 2026

Winners Announced & Awards Presented: May 14, 2026, at the Tire Recycling Conference Awards Luncheon in Denver, Colorado

Eligibility

• Open to organizations, teams, and individuals with projects based in the United States.
• Applicants may self-nominate or be nominated by others. 

Selection Process

To ensure fairness and transparency, all nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by a Selection Committee composed of a diverse group of independent industry experts and Tire Recycling Foundation representatives.

• Evaluation Criteria: Each entry will be scored on innovation, measurable impact, scalability, and alignment with award category goals.
• Conflict of Interest Policy: Committee members will recuse themselves from evaluating entries where any personal, professional, or organizational conflict of interest exists.
• Anonymized Review: Initial review stages may be anonymized to help minimize bias and ensure impartial assessment.

There will be one award recipient per category; however, the committee may grant Honorable Mentions at its discretion. 

Submission Guidelines

All nominations must be submitted using the official Tire Recycling Foundation Awards Nomination Form. Incomplete submissions or those exceeding the stated word limits may not be considered. 

All nominations must be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM ET on February 8, 2026.

More Details on the Award Categories

Innovation in End-Use Technology Award

This award honors a person, team, or organization that has developed or commercialized a groundbreaking technology, product, or process that uses recycled tire rubber in an innovative way. The winning innovation must demonstrate scalability, market impact, and sustainability.

Nomination Criteria:

• Must involve the use of recycled tire rubber as a core material.
• Innovation must be commercially available or in advanced pilot/development.
• Should demonstrate measurable benefits (e.g., improved performance, reduced cost, environmental gains).
• Can include technologies like rubber-modified asphalt, molded goods, flooring, pyrolysis, etc.

• Supporting data, case studies, or pilot results are strongly encouraged.

   

   

Circular Economy Trailblazer Recognition, State Leadership in Tire Market Innovation 

Recognizes a state government, environmental agency, or statewide program that has demonstrated exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact in advancing tire recycling within a circular economy model. This includes policies, pilot programs, public-private partnerships, infrastructure investments, or market development strategies that are actively moving markets, scaling impact, and creating a replicable model for others.

This recognizes those public entities that aren't just managing scrap tires but redefining what's possible for their end use — from rubberized asphalt and civil engineering applications to new consumer or industrial products.

Nomination Criteria:

• Systems-Level Impact 
  Initiatives must show measurable success in increasing the reuse, recycling, or repurposing of scrap tires at scale — particularly in ways that support local or regional markets.
• Market Transformation 
  Evidence that programs have led to new or expanded end-use markets, created incentives for innovation, or influenced infrastructure development (e.g., procurement policies, pilot projects, investment in processing capacity).
• Cross-Sector Collaboration 
  Successful collaboration between government and private-sector partners (e.g., recyclers, manufacturers, DOTs, community orgs) to create scalable change.
• Replicability & Scalability 
  Programs should serve as a model that other states or regions could learn from or adapt.
• Commitment to Circularity 
  Tire management strategies that go beyond disposal — embracing reuse, design-for-recyclability, or cradle-to-cradle approaches.

Market Development Excellence Award

This award celebrates outstanding efforts to expand and strengthen end-use markets for tire-derived materials. It recognizes marketing, sales, education, or advocacy initiatives that have successfully increased demand or adoption in sectors such as infrastructure, landscaping, molded goods, or construction.

Nomination Criteria:

• Demonstrated increase in market acceptance or visibility for tire-derived materials.
• Can include public awareness campaigns, policy advocacy, B2B partnerships, or certifications that facilitated new or expanded markets.
• Must show a clear connection between activities and market acceptance.
• Preference for multi-year, strategic efforts over one-time promotions.

Value Chain Collaboration Award

This award recognizes effective collaboration between two or more stakeholders in the scrap tire value chain—such as haulers, processors, manufacturers, regulators, or end-users—leading to tangible benefits like improved logistics, increased recycling rates, or expanded end markets.

Nomination Criteria:

• Must involve a partnership or collaborative effort with at least two entities from different parts of the value chain.
• Clear evidence of shared goals and mutual benefit.
• Measurable impact on efficiency, economics, or sustainability.

• Letters of support from collaborators are encouraged.