Industry’s Main Association Picks New Name

The waste and recycling industry’s largest association has adopted a new name: The National Waste & Recycling Association.

The former Environmental Industry Associations also unveiled a new logo and tagline: “Collect. Recycle. Innovate.” The change for the Washington-based association officially takes place Dec. 2, it said in a news release.

The new name consolidates three organizations under one name – EIA, the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) and the Waste Equipment Technology Association  (WASTEC).

“The rebranding is a significant milestone in achieving the goals of the strategic plan we adopted in November 2012,” said Charlie Appleby, chairman and CEO of Ponte Vedra, Fla.-based Advanced Disposal Services Inc. and chairman of the association. “The strategic vision for the group is the creation of a merged advocacy organization with leadership, expertise and programs that promote the association as the most effective and trusted voice on ‘all things waste and recycling.’ ”

Sharon Kneiss, the president and CEO of the association, added, “While the merger is now complete with this rebranding, our work continues to establish a number of programs within the organization. Our group is committed to the National Waste & Recycling Association being the unparalleled leader in industry advocacy, safety, waste technology, standards and statistics. Furthermore we are building a strong certification program and working to deliver excellent education opportunities.”

The group’s new logo includes symbols reflecting the industry’s involvement in the collection of waste and recyclables, recycling, organics and composting and the production of waste-based energy. The inclusion of the word “innovate” in the tagline highlights how technology is revolutionizing the way that waste and recycling is managed in America.

“Our brand name and logo are important indicators of who we are and what we stand for. With this new name, we are taking the opportunity to strengthen and modernize how we represent our association and promote the industry to our members, government officials, the media and the communities in which we operate,” Kneiss said.

“The things we do as an industry help keep American communities clean and healthy. The new branding of the association recognizes this and places a higher purpose on what we do,” Appleby said.

EIA has been telling members it wants to go forward as a single organization rather than three since the fall of 2012. Kneiss had hoped to reveal the new name at WasteExpo this past spring and have the name fully in place by the end of the year.

In an interview with Waste360 in May Kneiss acknowledged that initial timetable was ambitious.

“This association has been in place for a very long time and has many loyal and dedicated members. And change is difficult for any organization and takes time to work through,” she said. “We all recognize that the key is to take the time to work through the options with the members to ensure they’re invested in the process and agree with the objectives, and also to take the time to get it right rather than do it fast.”

The association, created in 1962, went by the NSWMA identity until 1993, when WASTEC was created and then EIA to serve as an umbrella organization for the groups.

The association represents nearly 800 companies operating in the United States. It includes a number of institutes representing landfills, recycling and healthcare waste.

It has a longtime partnership with Waste360 and the Penton Waste Industry Group. The two organizations work together to organize WasteExpo, North America’s largest waste and recycling exposition and conference, in addition to other education offerings, products and services.