Visionary speakers, industry experts and cutting-edge companies came together to explore “Sound Ideas” in waste management at WASTECON® 2018, prompting new perspectives and infusing solid waste and recycling professionals with the creativity to solve their toughest challenges.

The Solid Waste Association of North America’s (SWANA) WASTECON® is the largest conference helping solid waste leaders plan a sustainable future for their communities and was held in Nashville from August 20 – 23. The days of the conference brought insightful sessions and events featuring facility tours, hands-on activities, technical sessions, product demonstrations and networking events, with participants having the ability to completely customize their schedule. Above all, the speakers and sessions featured subject-matter experts who shared their expertise and candid ideas, with the goal of truly helping the industry take steps toward their environmental or business goals. “Hearing the programming that SWANA has put together with the experts on the stage has been fantastic,” said Cody Marshall, Vice President of Technical Assistance at The Recycling Partnership.

Wastecon-2018-WednesdInformative Keynotes
WASTECON® began with the Mayor of Nashville, David Briley, addressing conference participants and speaking to the environmental goals and solid waste plans for the city. “Nashville has the goal of being the greenest city in the Southeast,” he said.

Next, the opening keynote session, “New Ways to Solve Your Toughest Problems,” kicked-off with professionals from Stocked, a Nashville-area design firm, who led a discussion on the importance of flexibility in any industry and a hands-on, creative activity. “In most organizations, we wait for policy to inform us; we are often reactionary when we need to change,” said Barbara Patchen, Stocked. “In the world of design thinking, we’re going to focus on our user and really understand their unmet needs and motivations in order to design something for them.”

Adapting to industry change was also the main focus at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Summit Keynote Address: “The Changing Marketing for Recyclable Materials”, where experts David Biderman, SWANA’s Executive Director and CEO, Robin Wiener, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries’ President, and Stephen Sikra, Associate Director of Corporate Research and Development at Procter & Gamble, discussed the current state of recycling in North America and opportunities for the future. “The recycling industry is currently undergoing a transition, and therefore it’s more important than ever that all of use come together to discuss the various issues that are affecting the recycling systems today,” said Wiener.

Wastecon-2018-Wednesd2Professional Awards
With so many industry professionals committed to the future of the industry, WASTECON® hosted SWANA’s Awards Program, which honored individuals who have demonstrated commitment, innovation, and overall excellence in their fields. A range of professionals received awards for company projects, years of individual, dedicated service, and contributions to the solid waste and recycling industry.

“SWANA’s Professional Achievement Awards are a coveted recognition in the industry and it is an honor to receive the Robert L. Lawrence Distinguished Service Award,” said James Warner, CEO of the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority. “I am thrilled to be included as part of a long legacy of impactful people who have all helped to shape our industry.”

Special awards were given to Memphis Department of Public Works employees, Elmore Nickelberry and Cleophus Smith, for their dedication to the solid waste industry. With more than 50 years of service to the city of Memphis, both men were employed during the Memphis sanitation worker’s strike in 1968, serving as a reminder of this important event in the industry’s past and the progress that still needs to be made regarding worker safety.

“These two men have shown immense dedication to the state of Tennessee and the solid waste industry through their long careers with the city of Memphis,” said Becky Caldwell, President of SWANA’s Tennessee Chapter and Solid Waste Program Manager for the Greater Nashville Regional Council. “I am proud that we are highlighting worker safety at WASTECON® through honoring the contributions of Nickelberry and Smith.”

Wastecon-2018Wednesd3Showcasing Safety and Technology
Safety was an integral part of the programming at WASTECON®, with specific sessions devoted to industry safety through the Safety Summit, the Safety Zone in the exhibit hall, and meetings for SWANA Safety Ambassadors to discuss future events and initiatives. Exhibitors also showcased new technology to keep workers safe while on the job.

“We continue to expand our award-winning safety program,” said Biderman. “We will reduce the frequency of accidents and injuries, because nothing we do at SWANA is more important than making sure your workers get a safer workplace and go home to their families every day.”
In addition to the Safety Zone being a highlight of the exhibit hall, there were constant crowds of participants heading to new demonstrations, browsing booths and making face-to-face connections with vendors. With nearly 100 exhibitors, the exhibit hall featured a wide range of solutions for all areas of solid waste and recycling and mirrored the buzz of new technology and automation that is taking hold in much of the industry.

“You’ve got some of the top vendors to this industry, whether you’re talking about trucks, software, MRF equipment, they’re all bringing to us what new technology is coming in their scene,” said Ron Mittelstaedt, CEO of Waste Connections, Inc.

Wastecon-2018-Tuesday2Facility Tours
To see technology innovations first-hand, many participants went on Nashville-area facility tours during the conference, seeing new equipment for optical sorting, new processes for hard-to-recycle items and creative ways for diverting food waste from landfills.

At Second Harvest Food Bank, the facility sorts food that would be thrown away and delivers it to 46 Tennessee counties. “We call that our grocery-rescue program,” said Camille Cannada, coordinator of individual and corporate relationships for Second Harvest Food Bank. “We also have a farm-to-families’ system, where we have a lot of farms that give us food that’s leftover and food that hasn’t made codes to go to grocery stores for different reasons.”

Additional Learning Opportunities
More learning opportunities took place during SWANA’s Summer Training Center, co-located at WASTECON®. Industry professionals learned about Zero Waste, landfill management, collection and more. Many took exams to become officially certified in their discipline, showing great initiative and commitment to professional development.

Wastecon-2018Wednesd4“The conversations you have during these courses are unlike any other training I have ever taken because they are so dynamic, and you really get the benefit of everyone’s experience,” said Christina Seibert, Project Manager at Aptim. “You could hear 20 different perspectives on solving different problems, and through that, you build a network.”

During all of the amazing experiences at WASTECON®, from tours to sessions to events, participants were building connections and growing their professional network one conversation, introduction and training at a time. The comradery and information-sharing present during the conference created unparalleled business opportunities and an energetic atmosphere for all.

“I really like to take part in all of the networking events, right from 7:30 in the morning down to 9:30 at night, it’s a great opportunity to meet people and have a lot of fun,” said Kerra Chomlak, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator for Leduc Regional Waste Management Authority.

Wastecon-2018-Wednesd5Pathway to Innovation
Keeping up the momentum after such a successful time in Nashville, WASTECON® 2019 will feature a new conference logo and theme “Pathway to Innovation” in Phoenix, AZ from October 21 – 24. “Pathway to Innovation truly speaks to the inspiration that comes from this conference,” said Dave Bennett, SWANA’s Arizona Chapter President and Solid Waste Manager for the City of Scottsdale. “Coming to WASTECON® gives entirely new perspectives on the big picture of how solid waste affects us socially, economically and environmentally, and I am excited for this new theme to guide us in industry learning and discovery.”

For information, visit WASTECON.org.

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