NEW YORK, January 18, 2022 – Waste360 today announces the winners of the seventh annual 40 Under 40 awards program, which honors the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the waste and recycling industry.

“Congratulations to this year’s class of Waste360 40 Under 40 award winners. Their innovative thinking is a testament to the immense talent in our industry,” said Liz Bothwell, Head of Content & Marketing and Waste360 NothingWasted! Podcast Host. “When selecting the winners, we were in awe of the outstanding work they are contributing to every sector of waste and recycling. We look forward to celebrating them at WasteExpo this spring.”

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 winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policymakers and product suppliers.

The 2022 40 Under 40 Award Winners

Waste360 Innovator and Changemaker Awards

Ryan Melsert has been honored with the Waste360 Innovator Award, which recognizes innovators and forward thinkers who often use technology to better the industry. Melsert helped form the startup American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) as chief technology officer in 2019 and rose to CEO in 2021. Under his leadership, the company has progressed quickly toward completing its first pre-commercial plant and he received several U.S. patents for his technology. He also won BASF’s global Battery Recycling Circularity Challenge by demonstrating his lithium-ion battery recycling technology. Under Melsert’s leadership, ABTC was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC in partnership with USCAR (the collaborative technology company of Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stellantis).

Terrill Haigler, also known as “Ya Fav Trashman," has been honored with the Waste360 Changemaker Award, which recognizes leaders who are creating real, meaningful, positive change for the waste, recycling and organics industry. Haigler is the first sanitation worker Instagram celebrity who has brought attention and recognition to the importance of sanitation workers as essential service providers. He worked to secure PPE for the sanitation workers of Philadelphia during the beginning of COVID when the city could not find enough to properly protect the sanitation workers.

A panel of expert judges from Waste360 evaluated the nominations and consulted with an external advisor to select the finalists and winners.

The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony at WasteExpo, North America's leading solid waste, recycling and organics industry event, May 9-12, 2022 in Las Vegas. For more information on WasteExpo, please visit WasteExpo.com or follow WasteExpo on Twitter at @Waste_Expo.  

View past classes of Waste360 40 Under 40 awards winners:

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program is sponsored by GFL Environmental.

About WasteExpo

WasteExpo is the leading event in North America for waste, recycling and organics professionals from the private and public sector. WasteExpo offers an interactive conference program that dives deep into vital industry topics such as recycling, landfills, fleet management, collections, organics, safety, food waste and recovery, and more. WasteExpo also boasts a robust Exhibit Hall showcasing hundreds of exhibitors and the latest industry solutions. WasteExpo is co-located with the Waste360 Investor Summit, the Waste360 Healthcare Waste Conference, the Waste360 Business Leadership Forum and Waste360 Sustainability Talks.  

About the Waste360 Group



The Waste360 Group harnesses the power of its many properties to serve the solid waste and recycling industry. The industry widely consumes this content in the form of websites, live events, online learning and digital opportunities and includes: Waste360.com, WasteExpo, The Global Waste Management Symposium and topical and timely eNewsletters including Waste360 Daily Wire. Waste360’s NothingWasted! Podcast features the rockstars of the waste, recycling and organics industry weekly for the latest news and insights on people behind the industry. For more information, visit www.waste360.com.  

About Informa Markets

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. We provide marketplace participants around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, targeted digital services and actionable data solutions. We connect buyers and sellers across more than a dozen global verticals, including Pharmaceuticals, Food, Medical Technology and Infrastructure. As the world's leading market-making company, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com.

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Media Contact

Liz Bothwell
Head of Content & Marketing, Waste360 NothingWasted! Podcast Host  
WasteExpo
E: [email protected]