On a Roll

Thousands of solid waste and recycling professionals from around the globe will gather at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas this spring for WasteExpo. After a mild winter that has helped boost collections and keep secondary materials flowing in many regions of the country, there is perhaps no better time to interact with colleagues and exhibitors in a place like Las Vegas.

WasteExpo is held in a different city each year. Rita Ugianskis-Fishman, managing director, Waste Industry Group, Penton Media, the conference organizer, says there is always a lot of excitement surrounding the convention’s return to Las Vegas.

“In addition to a vast exhibit hall experience, in-depth educational and training menu [and] unmatched networking opportunities with colleagues from the U.S. and abroad, there is no better place to have a great time with colleagues, friends and family,” Ugianskis-Fishman says.

WasteExpo attracts an average of 11,000 to 12,000 people each year and features more than 550 exhibiting companies. The educational program runs April 30 to May 2, and the exhibition is from May 1 to May 3, giving recyclers an opportunity to gain insight into their industry and find equipment and service suppliers who may be able to fill a need for their businesses.

The WasteExpo conference program is comprised of 40 sessions on the following tracks relevant to the solid waste and recycling industries:

• Recycling;
• Recycling markets;
• Recycling commodities;
• Sustainability;
• Money;
• Business;
• Law;
• Worker health;
• Safety;
• Collection;
• Collection e-tools; and
• Technology.

Sorting out the Sessions
Recyclers may be interested in several of the educational sessions being held throughout WasteExpo, beginning April 30. Here is a closer look at some of the sessions that organizers felt were relevant to Recycling Today readers:

Time: 9 to 10:15 a.m., April 30
Track: Recycling
Session Title: Out of Sorts: Materials Recovery Facilities Update
Session Description: Innovative procurement processes and advanced technologies are helping to reduce costs and increase profits at materials recovery facilities (MRFs). Presenters will provide information on their successes and how attendees can take advantage of these ideas at their operations.
Presenters: Kevin McCarthy, executive director, RethinkWaste; Steve Miller, CEO, Bulk Handling Systems; Nathiel Egosi, president, RRT Design & Construction; and Eric Hise, Texas Disposal Systems

Time: 9 to 10:15 a.m., April 30
Track: Sustainability
Session Title: Sustainable Materials Management
Session Description: Sustainable materials management focuses on impacts and policies relating to all the life-cycle stages of a material or product, including upstream considerations in using less material, using less environmentally intensive materials or making products more durable, as well as downstream solutions, such as reuse and recycling. Waste management usually focuses only on what to do with wastes once they are generated. In this practical session, attendees will hear how sustainable materials management is affecting the industry and how to position their companies for the future.
Moderator: Frank Reed Jr., Frost Brown Todd LLC
Presenters: Richard Abramowitz, director of public affairs, Waste Management Recycling America, and Elizabeth Resek, senior advisor for materials management, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.
 

Time: 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., April 30
Track: Recycling
Session Title: The Party’s Over, Let Recycling Begin: Event Management
Session Description: Special events generate large quantities of waste in a short period of time that result in unique issues for collection, source separation and processing of recyclable materials. Event recyclers will share their experiences.
Presenters: Carey Hamilton, executive director, Indiana Recycling Coalition

Time: 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., April 30
Track: Sustainability
Session Title: Connecting Waste Users with Waste Generators
Session Description: More companies than ever are committed to reducing their waste volumes and are seeking sustainable alternatives to get rid of their byproducts as an alternative to landfilling. Presenters will provide an analysis of available resources to connect waste users with waste generators.
Moderator: Amy Costello, senior environmental scientist, Armstrong World Industries
Presenters: A.W. Armstrong, program manager, By-Product Synergy Hub, United States Business Council for Sustainable Development; Heidi Sanborn, California Product Stewardship Council; and Costello of Armstrong World Industries

Time: 1:45 to 3 p.m., April 30
Track: Recycling Markets
Session Title: Shredded and Baled, Now What: Paper Markets
Session Description: Paper markets have been booming. With an eye toward key factors in export and domestic markets, presenters provide an outlook on the future of recycled paper.
Presenters: Joe Burke, director of sales, Action Environmental Services; Bill Moore, president, Moore & Associates

Time: 1:45 to 3 p.m., April 30
Track: Community Relations
Session Title: Avoid Greenwashing in Reporting on Sustainability
Session Description: One of today’s challenges is that everyone is talking about “being green.” This presentation will explain how to talk about sustainability efforts in an honest and believable way that will make customers and communities listen. This session explores the importance of the sustainability report, which should be viewed as a critical business tool. Presenters also review subjects that can be included in sustainability reports and the basics of producing a report for consumers.
Moderator: Steven Averett, editor, Waste Age magazine
Presenter: William Flower, senior vice president – corporate communications, Republic Services Inc.

Time: 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., April 30
Track: Recycling Markets
Session Title: Melted and Crushed, Now What: Plastic, Glass and Metal Markets
Session Description: What does the future hold for plastic, glass and metal container markets? Learn who wants to purchase these different materials and what the current political and economic climate may mean for markets.
Presenters: Patty Moore, president and CEO, Moore Recycling Associates Inc.; David Keeling, general manager, Western United States, Steel Recycling Institute; and David Hudson, president of government affairs, Strategic Materials Inc.

Time: 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., May 1
Track: Recycling Commodities
Session Title: Construction and Demolition Debris: Processing Trends
Session Description: Experts review new developments designed to increase overall recycling rates and recycling diversion on construction projects, including current market drivers toward recycling construction and demolition materials such as the International Green Construction Code.
Moderator: William Turley, executive director, Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA)
Presenters: Andrew Lake, recycling infrastructure process specialist, Armstrong World Industries; James Halter, vice president of construction solutions, Waste Management Inc.; and Turley

Time: 1:45 to 3 p.m., May 1
Track: Recycling Commodities
Session Title: Diversion, Digestion and Desire: Status of Food Waste Management
Session Description: Food waste management projects have been increasing exponentially, but the number of residential programs remains small. This panel looks at opportunities in collecting and composting food waste in addition to examining potential roadblocks such as odor control and market options.
Moderator: Chaz Miller, director, state programs, National Solid Wastes Management Association
Presenters: Steve Diddy, business development director, Engineered Compost Systems Inc.; Meghan Stasz, director of sustainability, Grocery Manufacturers Association; and Michael Virga, executive director, U.S. Composting Council

Time: 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., May 1
Track: Recycling Commodities
Session Title: E-fficient E-cycling
Session Description: Electronics continue to be the fastest growing item in the waste stream, as technology changes and states ramp up recycling requirements. This session provides an update on the status of state e-recycling legislation and new trends in collection and processing.
Presenters: Jason Linnell, co-founder and executive director, National Center for Electronics Recycling

Also offered are general business and technology tracks and Lunch-N-Learn discussions, including “The Future of Waste: A State of the Industry Conversation,” where experts discuss the future of the waste and recycling industry. More information is available at www.wasteexpo.com.

The author is associate editor of Recycling Today and can be reached at ksmith@gie.net.