WasteExpo, North America’s largest solid waste, recycling and organics industry tradeshow and conference, announces it brought 13,000 industry professionals together with over 550 exhibitors to discuss the future of the industry May 1-4 in New Orleans, LA. Marc Acampora, Market Leader, Waste360 said, “It was an extraordinary week. We offered a wide range of learning, an exhibit hall full of innovations and solutions and many opportunities for networking. We are excited to see the new technologies, services and innovations throughout the year and again at our event next year.”
Education
The event brought the industry together to learn through four days of professional development delivering spotlight sessions, workshops and dozens of conference sessions across the following tracks: Operations, Fleet & Safety; Recycling & Landfill; Business Insights & Policy; Technology & Innovation; and Waste360 Sustainability Talks.
Spotlight Sessions offered the latest news and insights including:
- The CEO Spotlight Session with WM President and CEO Jim Fish and National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) President and CEO Darrell Smith
- Pam Caron, SVP – Waste & Recycling Practice at Risk Strategies moderated a Fireside Chat with the NWRA Women’s Council past presidents to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organization
- The Foundation & Association Roundtable shared information about the NWRA, the Solid Waste Association of North America, the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) and the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association
WasteExpo also delivered six half-day workshops that each focused on different industry topics. Workshops included:
- 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
The Waste360 Sustainability Talks conference program offered 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 brought 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 11th Waste360/Stifel Investor Summit brought investors and leaders from top public and private waste companies for a full day of learning, analysis and networking.
Exhibit Hall
The Exhibit Hall featured over 550 exhibitors showcasing the latest industry solutions.
Waste360’s TRASHION: a Recycle, Reuse, ReFashion Show
For the first time, WasteExpo partnered with New Orleans Fashion Week, Dress for Success New Orleans and EREF for Waste360’s TRASHION: a Recycle, Reuse, ReFashion Show. With the apparel industry’s global emissions set to increase by 50% by 2030, this program encouraged waste diversion from landfills. Twenty designers fashioned models to walk the runway and Nicholas Linson won Best in Show.
Awards
- The Pitch Slam competition brought teams that have been vetted to pitch their recycling, composting and end market ideas. DeliverZero was named the winner.
- The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognized inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics has made a significant contribution to the industry. View the class of 2023 here.
- Waste360 Women Who Inspire celebrated the women in waste and recycling. See the Women Who Inspire here.
WasteExpo supports 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. This year’s auction raised $4.4M.
- The NWRA Awards Breakfast honored the brightest achievers in the waste and recycling industry. The awards presented at this event included Driver of the Year, Operator of the Year and Hall of Fame.
- NWRA Women’s Council Boutique sold 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.
WasteExpo was co-located with Waste360 Sustainability Talks, the Waste360 Food Recovery Forum, the Waste360/Stifel Investor Summit, and the Waste360 Healthcare Waste Conference.
The 2024 WasteExpo will take place May 6-9, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV.