Laureates of the 10th Polish Ecology Leader competition under the auspices of the Minister of the Environment were awarded at a ceremony in Dramatyczny Theatre in Warsaw on October 17. Polish President Lech Kaczyński was the honorary patron of the competition.

The Polish Ecology Leader title is awarded by the Minister of the Environment to companies and local governments which, by working to preserve and improve environmental quality in Poland, enhance the qualify of life for present and future generations and are guided in their activities by the principle of sustainable development.
The competition is held in three categories: enterprise, product and local government. This enables the organisers to highlight environmental activities pursued by production and service companies, as well as local initiatives designed to promote environmental protection.
There were 131 entrants in the 10th edition of the competition: 73 communes (unions of communes) and counties, and 58 enterprises. The jury selected 26 entrants for final review. Ultimately, 11 organisations were honoured with the Polish Ecology Leader title. Twelve honourable mentions were also awarded.
Green Certificates in the 8th edition of the programme for certifying schools and kindergartens as sustainable development centres and badges of merit for contribution to environmental protection and water management were also distributed during the ceremony. A concert by Edyta Geppert added splendour to the event.
A total of 1,001 projects carried out by companies and local governments in conjunction with R&D units, universities and local communities were submitted for the competition in the years 1996-2006. The Polish Ecology Leader title was awarded to 76 of the entrants. “Polish Market” is one of the media patrons of the competition.
Laureates of the 10th edition of the Polish Ecology Competition under the auspices of the Minister of the Environment:
Local government category
Urban commune (municipality)
· Wągrowiec, Wielkopolskie province – for comprehensive environmental activities
· Lubań, Dolnośląskie province – for activities aimed at environmental protection, with a special focus on water and sewage management
Urban-rural commune
· Police, Zachodniopomorskie province – for comprehensive activities in the area of environmental protection
Rural commune
· Warta Bolesławiecka, Dolnośląskie province – for comprehensive environmental activities for the sustainable development of the commune
County
· Bełchatów, Łódzkie province – for waste management and measures taken to minimise threats to the environment and residents of the county
No title was awarded in the unions of communes category
Enterprise category
Production enterprise
· HMS Sp. z o.o., Niepołomice, Małopolskie province – for the construction and expansion of a new platform grating plant in Niepołomice 
Service enterprise
· Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Oczyszczania Sp. z o.o., Kraków, Małopolskie province – for achievements in municipal waste management
· Leśny Bank Genów Kostrzyca, Miłków, Dolnośląskie province – for protecting biodiversity and forest gene pool
Product category
Products
· Orlen Oil Sp. z o. o., Kraków, Małopolskie province – for the Orlen Oil Platinum family of oils for engines meeting the Euro 4 requirements
Technologies
· Łomża Forest District Office, Podlaskie province – for restoring forest function to the former Czerwony Bór military training ground in the Łomża forest district
· Biuro Projektów Koksoprojekt Sp. z o.o., Zabrze, Śląskie province – for a modern coke-oven battery equipped with innovative and environment-friendly solutions
No title was awarded in the Equipment category
Honourable mentions
Local government category
Urban commune (municipality)
· Częstochowa, Śląskie province – for the city’s environmental protection activities over many years
Urban-rural commune
· Niepołomice, Małopolskie province – for activities for the sustainable development of the commune
· Kozienice, Mazowieckie province – for activities for the sustainable development of the commune
Rural commune
· Bierawa, Opolskie province – for comprehensive activities in the area of environmental protection
· Strawczyn, Świętokrzyskie province – for environmental protection activities in the commune
County
· Wągrowiec, Wielkopolskie province – for thermal improvements to public utility buildings in the county
No honourable mention was awarded in the union of communes category.
Enterprise category
Production enterprise
· Baterpol Sp. z o.o., Katowice, Śląskie province – for the recycling of components of used lead-acid batteries containing sulphur
Service enterprise
· Aqua SA, Bielsko-Biała, Śląskie province – for innovative projects designed to reduce the impact of the enterprise on the environment
· Regional State Forest Authority in Białystok,
Białystok, Podlaskie province – for using Białowieska Forest to meet the needs of today’s society
Product category
Products
· Przedsiębiorstwo Gospodarki Komunalnej
Sp. z o.o. PGK Koszalin, Zachodniopomorskie province – for managing sludge and organic wastes from green area maintenance and conservation
· Engorem Sp. z o.o., Łódź, Łódzkie province – for the ENGO-01 heat pump
No honourable mention was awarded in the Technologies and Equipment categories
Special award
· Foundation for the Protection of Great Mazurian Lakes, Giżycko, Warmińsko-Mazurskie province – for the protection of the natural environment of the Great Mazurian Lakes.