Plastic Free champion wins THIS IS FREMANTLE Aspire Award

A local champion in the fight to reduce plastic waste has been awarded the THIS IS FREMANTLE Aspire Award for 2022.

In partnership with Business Events Perth, the THIS IS FREMANTLE Aspire Award provides a $5000 scholarship to assist the winner’s personal and professional development through the attendance at an overseas conference of their choice.

This year’s winner, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, is the Executive Director of the Plastic Free Foundation – a charity with the vision of a world without plastic waste.

In 2011 she started Plastic Free July, which is now a global movement that helps millions of people and organisations be part of the solution to plastic pollution.

Ms Prince-Ruiz is also a member of the WA Waste Reform Advisory Group, the WA Single Use Plastics Working Group and a director of the WA Return Recycle Renew - the organisation that coordinates Containers for Change in Western Australia.

Ms Prince-Ruiz said the award would cover the cost of attending the Future of Plastics and Packaging conference in Amsterdam.

“That conference discussed some of the complex challenges around creating circular packaging solutions that can create impact and scale up, because that’s where we’re at now,” Ms Prince-Ruiz said.

“We know it’s a problem. We’re all on board, but the solutions are challenging.

“Winning the Aspire Award to me means recognition that what we do at the Plastic Free Foundation is making a difference on an issue that’s important.

“It’s all about being able to learn from others and together really make a difference.”

Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said Ms Prince-Ruiz was a worthy winner of the Aspire Award.

“It’s been incredible to see how a small, grassroots campaign in Fremantle has grown to become a global movement to reduce plastic pollution and the damage it does to our environment,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

“At Rebecca’s urging, the City of Fremantle this year became the first local government in Australia to formally declare the month July to be Plastic Free July.

“It's because of the leadership and persistence of people like Rebecca that WA is now phasing out the use of single-use plastics across the state.”

Business Events Perth Chief Executive Officer Gareth Martin said the Aspire Awards support Western Australian researchers, academics, and professionals to attend an international business event in the interest of professional development.

“For more than two decades, the Aspire Awards have provided Western Australian experts with the opportunity to share knowledge, connect and collaborate with industry leaders at business events all over the globe, highlighting Western Australian expertise on a global platform and providing opportunities for these events to be held in our state in future years,” Mr Martin said.

“Conferences hosted in Western Australia build the state’s research strengths, the profile of the conference convener and their affiliated national organisation, as well as acting as a front door for trade and investment.”

The THIS IS FREMANTLE Aspire Award is open to all individuals working or residing in the City of Fremantle to assist in their personal and professional development through attendance at a relevant international conference in their chosen field of endeavour.

For more information about the THIS IS FREMANTLE Aspire Awards please go to businesseventsperth.com.

Above photo: Plastic Free Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Prince-Ruiz (left) accepting the 2022 THIS IS FREMANTLE Aspire Award from Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge.