Mayo man Adrian Padden was among the nine winners of this year’s national Upcycle Challenge 2020 for his work growing fresh produce in a very small outdoor area.

Mr Padden achieved the EPA Special Prize award by making a unique piece using plastic bottles and a pallet that allows plants and shrubs to grow in a vertical planting area.

 “I undertook this project after a conversation with a friend who said they couldn't grow any fresh produce in their home as they only had a very small outdoor area. After stewing on this I felt a challenge was set.”

The Connacht – Ulster Waste Region category winner was the Galway Fire Brigade with their Blue Watch project which saved three "retired" ladders from the scrap yard and used them to make an outdoor seating area in the station yard.

There was another Galway winner in The Professional’s Category, An Mheitheal Rothar Pop up Shop for their work renting a pop up shop in an old credit union to help recycle and repair bicycles.

An initiative of mywaste.ie and the Environmental  Protection Agency (EPA), the Upcycle Challenge invited participants to use their imaginations to create something new and useful out of old unwanted and discarded items or material.

As many as 259 entries were received from individuals, community organisations, Men’s Sheds, and schools across the country.

A total of eight category winners were decided by a judging panel, which also chose three finalists for a People’s Choice Award.

Congratulating the winners Sinead Ni Mhainnin Waste Prevention Officer with the Connacht Ulster Waste Management Planning Office said this year’s applications were of a very high standard making the judging process very difficult.

Due to public health restrictions, this year’s Upcycle Challenge Award ceremony will take the form of a video shared on mywaste.ie social media channels showing the skills, creativity and ingenuity of all nine winners and their projects.

Each winner will also receive an equal share of the €6,750 prize fund.