WasteExpo will feature a week of professional development through an interactive conference program. The program offers learning on vital waste, recycling, organics and sustainability topics. The event takes place May 1-4, 2023 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.
Marc Acampora, Vice President, Waste360 said, “WasteExpo’s conference program is the professional development opportunity of the year for professionals in the solid waste, recycling and organics industry. The education and training attendees will receive is guaranteed to help them sharpen their skills and do their jobs better. We look forward to gathering our community this spring to learn about industry trends, explore innovative solutions and meet with industry leaders.”
WasteExpo offers professional development delivering spotlight sessions, workshops and dozens of conference sessions across five tracks:
- Operations, Fleet & Safety
- Recycling & Landfill
- Business Insights & Policy
- Technology & Innovation
- Waste360 Sustainability Talks
Spotlight Sessions offer insight-packed sessions that allow attendees to explore top industry trends. They include:
- WM President and CEO Jim Fish will sit down with National Waste & Recycling Association President and CEO Darrell Smith for The CEO Spotlight Session to share how he has used his leadership skills and industry knowledge to continue to grow and innovate WM.
- Pam Caron, SVP – Waste & Recycling Practice at Risk Strategies will moderate a Fireside Chat with the NWRA Women’s Council past presidents to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organization.
- The solid waste and recycling industry is supported by key associations, including the National Waste & Recycling Association, the Solid Waste Association of North America, the Environmental Research & Education Foundation and the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association. The Foundation & Association Roundtable will offer information about these associations’ roles in the industry, how a company in the industry can benefit from their work and how they are working both together and independently to support the members of the industry.
Thursday Workshops
WasteExpo will offer six half-day workshops on May 4 that each focus on different industry topics, such as:
- Food Waste and Organics Diversion for All Waste Generators: Commercial, Residential, Institutional, Events
- Climate Change Impacts on Solid Waste
- PFAS Roundtable and Peer Exchange – Sticking Around for the Conversation
- Introduction to Zero Waste Training
- NWRA Safety Symposium: Functional Safety Fundamentals
- 2023 NWRA Legal Symposium: Protecting the Rights of the Waste & Recycling Industry
Waste360 Food Recovery Forum
The Waste360 Food Recovery Forum offers ways to solve the social and environmental issues of wasted food as well as means to profit from food waste. Attendees will learn about solutions for food waste prevention, reduction, and recovery throughout the supply chain from the foremost experts in the field. Presentations at the Forum focus on successful initiatives and model programs to educate attendees and to help expand the significant efforts being undertaken to reduce food waste and increase food recovery for beneficial reuse.
Composting & Organics Recycling
Organics recovery and processing is a growing industry that provides countless opportunities to increase overall recovery rates while producing high quality and environmentally-beneficial compost and renewable energy products. The Composting & Organics Recycling conference program delivers three days of education and technical sessions on Organics Management including Composting, Anaerobic Digestion, Organics Recycling, Renewable Energy from Organics, Infrastructure Development, Innovative Conversion Technologies, Zero Waste, Compostable Products and more.
Waste360 Sustainability Talks
The Waste360 Sustainability Talks conference program offers real talk as waste and recycling takes on plastics, packaging, food waste, textiles and other environmental challenges to build a sustainable future. The two-day conference brings together thought leaders from industry leading companies such as Re:Dish, Returnity, Revolution Recovery, The Recycling Partnership, TerraCycle, Dem-Con Companies, Wastequip and WM. The co-located event is open to all premium package attendees.
Additional Event Highlights:
- The Exhibit Hall is open May 2-4 and will feature more than 600 exhibitors showcasing the latest industry solutions.
- Two site tours at Glass Half Full Facility and Republic Services New Orleans Recycling Center.
- The Pitch Slam competition brings teams that have been vetted to pitch their recycling, composting and end market ideas.
- The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics has made a significant contribution to the industry.
- The Environmental Research & Education Foundation charitable auction supports EREF’s funding of scholarships and grants for solid waste research, as well as EREF’s educational initiatives.
- WasteExpo’s ReFashion Runway co-produced by Refashion Week NYC, Dress for Success, and New Orleans Fashion Week will feature local upcycled designers and thrifted stylists who’ve breathed new life into discarded items.
- The NWRA Awards Breakfast honors the brightest achievers in the waste and recycling industry. The awards presented at this event include Driver of the Year, Operator of the Year and Hall of Fame.
- NWRA Women’s Council Boutique sells industry-related and recycled items. The proceeds support the council’s programs, including the academic scholarship programs that provide a career path in the waste and recycling industry.
- Mack Truck Ride & Drive allows attendees to test drive one of the refuse trucks and see how its design was inspired by their customers’ desire for the best truck for their operations, with superior maneuverability, visibility and ergonomics. A current CDL is required to drive the vehicle.
- Waste360 Women Who Inspire celebrates the women in waste and recycling.
- The Public Sector Networking Event brings together public sector professionals.
- The Welcome Reception takes place May 1 and the International Reception takes place May 3.