Spotlight Session: NOTHING WASTED!: Pioneers & Visionaries (Zero Waste/Resource Recovery, Recycling) (WasteExpo 2019)

Zero Waste Cities: Revolutionary solutions to plastic waste in the global south: Monica Wilson, Associate Director, GAIA U.S. Office

Southeast Asia is often portrayed as the epicenter of the plastic waste crisis. But the story is more complex. Large scale centralized waste systems don’t work in this region. Instead, decentralized, community-led zero waste systems are transforming cities, saving money, and keeping plastic out of the ocean. Groundbreaking new data from zero waste cities uncovers the true culprits behind the plastic pollution crisis.

An Emerging UK Multi-Stream Approach Could Replace Single-Stream Comingling: Eric Randall, Director of Recycling & Founder, Bryson Recycling

Eric Randall from Bryson Recycling in Northern Ireland will outline how a new approach to domestic collections of recyclables that generates high quality materials, results in low overall costs; avoids the export of recyclables; generates hundreds of manufacturing jobs and results in tens of £millions of added value to the local economy.

Can Behavior Tracking Be an Effective Tool in Asset Management?: Lisa von Sturmer, Founder & CEO, Growing City

The most valuable asset in any transportation business is still its driver team, but most businesses struggle with keeping drivers engaged, enforcing company policy & procedures, and with recognizing who their star performers truly are. Technology promises to create self-driving fleets, but the reality for most businesses is that for the next 15 years human drivers will continue to have the biggest impact on their success or failure. Join Lisa von Sturmer of Growing City as she shares the practices and behaviour tracking her company implemented that allowed them to see a 72% reduction in missed service stops, 144% increase in early truck-issue reporting, and a 45% reduction in driver service times - in just 18 months.

Solving the Global Recycling Crisis: JD Lindeberg, President and Managing Partner, Resource Recycling Systems Recycling is under fire in the US because of the impact of Green Fence and National Sword.  Yet, at the same time it is one of the most beloved environmental activities of participants across the country AND it provides a practical way for individuals and families to do something tangible about climate change.  JD Lindeberg will argue that instead we should resist the urge to cut back on programs and the industry and local units of government should instead take the opposite tack and reinvest in a strong infrastructure, focus on local markets, and improve material quality.  The economy and the environment will benefit.