FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2026
Arlington, VA – The National Waste & Recycling Foundation (NWRF) announced today that its PSA video for the national battery safety campaign, “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!”, featuring Woodsy Owl, has been named the General Public Service Gold Winner in the 47th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and are judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies.
This year’s winners include Paramount TV, Warner Brothers Discovery, FOX Entertainment, MoMA, Mayo Clinic, Sony Music, TED, Al Jazeera, Variety, PETA, United Talent Agency, People Inc., Olympic Channel, AccuWeather, ABC News, Dude Perfect, Washington Commanders, Harvard Business School, Modern Post, and more.
“Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!” is a public education and outreach program led by the NWRF in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and with the support of the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA). The campaign, launched in January 2026, is focused on reducing battery-related fires by raising public awareness about the dangers of improper battery disposal while making safe battery disposal easy, accessible, and actionable for families everywhere.
“This campaign is about prevention and protection,” said Michael E. Hoffman, president and CEO of NWRF/NWRA. “Battery-related fires are a top safety priority facing our industry. ‘Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!’ provides clear, actionable guidance that empowers individuals to reduce those risks, focusing on proper battery recovery. Being recognized for raising awareness on the importance of proper battery recovery and disposal is an honor, and we’re excited to continue protecting homes, families, front-line workers and fire fighters.”
Committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity forward, this year’s new categories included topics within Generative A.I., Animation, and Creators. These categories centered on stories and collaborations that are actively evolving within the video and television industry.
“Video has never been more contested, more creative, or more consequential than it is right now,” shared Amanda Needham, managing director of The Telly Awards. “The Telly Awards has had a front-row seat to this industry for 47 years, and today’s entertainment is happening in multiple formats, across every screen, and at every budget level.”
With over 13,000 entries from across the globe and top video and television content producers, winners were chosen by The Telly Awards Judging Council, which features more than 250 experts across the world of video. This year welcomed judges including Tamara Kruger, Head of Content and Sponsorships, Google; Janet Graham Borba, Executive VP of Production, HBO; Phil Cook, Chief Marketing Officer, WNBA; and Andrea Wertheim, Senior Manager Post Production, Netflix.
The full list of the 47th Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners/
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About NWRF
The National Waste & Recycling Foundation (NWRF) is the charitable arm of the National Waste & Recycling Association, a 501(c)(6) organization. Operating independently as a 501(c)(3), the Foundation promotes public education, safety, and research initiatives that benefit the waste and recycling industry and the general public. Current efforts include a national campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of improper lithium-ion battery disposal and a scholarship program supporting future leaders in the industry.
About NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage solid, industrial/hazardous, medical, and construction/demolition debris waste, and represent equipment manufacturers and distributors, and a variety of other professional service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.
NWRA/NWRF Contact
Genevieve O’Sullivan
National Waste & Recycling Association
gosullivan@wasterecycling.org
202-731-1812
ABOUT THE TELLY AWARDS
The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 13,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 250 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multi-screen industry The Telly Awards celebrates. Partners of The Telly Awards include AWN, View Conference, Skwigly, ACM SIGGRAPH, Seed & Spark, Kinema, The Gotham, Portrait, NAB, RunwayML AIFF, ReelAbilities Film Festival, Film Fatales, FWD-Doc, NYWIFT, Stash, Production Hub, Video Consortium, SeriesFest and Green The Bid.
Find The Telly Awards Online:
Website: www.TellyAwards.com
Facebook: /TellyAwards
X: @TellyAwards
Instagram: @TellyAwards
YouTube: /TellyAwards
