Episode 64: Talking EREF & the Resilience of the Waste Industry

In our latest episode of NothingWasted!, we chat with Scott Dols, founder & CEO of Big Truck Rental, which is North America’s number-one source for refuse rental trucks and the only nationally serviced and maintained rental fleet in the industry. 

He is also a Board Member of the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF). We spoke with Dols about the annual EREF auction, the importance of science, the resilience of the waste industry and more.

Here’s a snippet of the discussion:

Waste360: Can you share why you think EREF is so important to yourself and the industry at large?

Dols: It’s really brought science to the industry, and I now see our industry leaders coming to EREF for guidance on the best ways to do things—which is a 180-degree turn from where we were 20+ years ago. And it’s great to see the young minds coming through EREF as a result of its scholarships, which are made possible in large part by the annual EREF silent auction, which is being held online this year. 

Waste360: How is COVID-19 affecting your business? 

Dols: One of the things I’ve seen about the waste industry over the years is that it’s extremely resilient. In the very short term when COVID-19 hit, everybody took a short pause—but a few weeks in, the industry really rallied around “how do we figure this out?” They figured out how to handle the trash, keep the streets clean and keep workers safe. 

Waste360: What do you think is EREF’s lasting impact on the industry? 

Dols: EREF will continue to bring science to the industry and help companies do a better job of managing their processes and what goes on with our waste and recycling throughout the country and in Canada. 

There’s so much more for the organization to continue to study. And as time goes on, I think we’ll see more and more technology, data and science as part of how we do things as an industry. 

Dols encourages the industry to support EREF’s Silent Auction. Learn more.

Read transcript here.

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