Back to All

Some Worthy National Conferences For Hazardous Waste Management Professionals

January 10, 2018

January is a good time to start pondering your schedule for professional development, and so we’ve listed a number of annual national conferences that focus upon hazardous waste management.

So as not to be overwhelming, we’ve limited ourselves to U.S. national conferences, effectively ignoring such worthies as the International EcoWASTE Conference in Abu Dhabi.

Neither have we included state and regional conferences, some of which might be more geographically pertinent to your hazardous waste removal operations.

On the other hand—in the spirit of broadening one’s relevant expertise —we’ve included national conferences that might be of interest to you, although they might not address chemical disposal per se.

Also, whether by sins of omission or commission, we don’t claim that this list of national conferences about hazardous waste disposal is comprehensive. One of your favorites might be conspicuous by its absence—let us know.  With those caveats:

Cleantech Forum San Francisco

January 22-24, 2018

Parc 55—San Francisco, CA

Now in its 16th year, the Cleantech Forum San Francisco is promoted as “a comprehensive 3?day program (providing) exclusive opportunities to network, learn, and get deals done.”

It brings together corporate executives, startup and growth company CEOs, investors, government agencies, and other luminaries from across diverse environmental disciplines who touch upon hazardous material removal.

Compost 2018

January 22-25, 2018

Westin Peachtree Plaza—Atlanta, GA

Even spilled milk can be a biohazard: an oil slick made of animal fat can be just as environmentally destructive as a petroleum one. That said: Compost 2018 is the annual conference of the US Composting Council, purported to be “the largest gathering of organics recycling professionals anywhere.” Exhibitors and attendees include “municipal and solid waste and recycling program managers, equipment suppliers, consultants, and educators.”

C&D World

February 11-13, 2018

Hilton Nashville Downtown—Nashville, TN

The annual C&D World conference is hosted by the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association, which promotes the eco-friendly recycling of construction and demolition materials. Products such as recycling equipment, crushers, and recycling systems are showcased. Educational sessions cover systemic solutions to environmental challenges across recycling and waste management industries.

Global Waste Management Symposium

February 11-14, 2018

Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa—Indian Wells, CA

The Global Waste Management Symposium is a biennial event billed as “North America’s #1 technical conference for the presentation of applied and fundamental research and case studies on waste management.” The 2018 program includes but is not limited to:

  • Anaerobic Digestion
  • Coal Combustion Residuals
  • Emergency Regulatory Issues for MSW Landfills
  • Enhanced Landfill Temperature
  • Gas Collection & System Management
  • Landfill Gas / Landfill Gas Management
  • Landfill Operations
  • Leachate / Condensate Management
  • Leachate Treatment: Strategies, Case Studies

Plastics Recycling

February 19-21, 2018

Gaylord Opryland Resort—Nashville, TN

The Plastics Recycling conference is for plastic reclaimers, equipment manufacturers, brand owners, brokers, government officials, and other worldwide authorities on sustainability. Last year’s event (2017) attracted nearly 1700 attendees from 40 countries and close to 200 exhibitors. Expect panel discussions and Q&As featuring leading industry executives, reclaimers, and associations. This year’s exhibit is slated to include more than 225 booths.

WWETT Show

February 21-24, 2018

Indiana Convention Center—Indianapolis, IN

The initials stand for Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment, and Transport, the wastewater industry’s largest annual event, and it promises “a robust Marketplace Expo, best-in-the-industry education, a festival of live demos, (along with) great parties and events.” Expect over 100 sessions, each with titles like “Active Flow Rehabilitation of a 96” to 108” Sanitary Sewer Interceptor” and “From A-to-Effluent: the Essentials of Septic Tank Design.”

SWANApalooza 2018

March 5-7, 2018

Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel and other nearby locations—Denver, CO

SWANApalooza, a convocation sponsored by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), is actually four events held in one location: the Annual Landfill Gas and Biogas Symposium, the Annual Landfill Symposium, the Road to Zero Waste Conference, and the Spring Training & Exam Center. Topics include safety, technology advances, and such esoterica as food scrap disposal. Networking opportunities include a “fun run,” vendor receptions, and more.

The 33rd International Conference on
Solid Waste Technology and Management

March 11-24, 2018

The Westin Annapolis Hotel—Washington D.C.

With participants expected from over 40 countries, the 33rd International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management invites researchers, educators, government officials, consultants, managers, community leaders, and other stakeholders to submit papers for oral presentations or poster sessions. Papers related to landfill topics are read (e.g. energy recovery & thermal treatment, household hazardous wastes, solid waste dust, waste collection), as well as those related to recycling (e.g. waste reduction, composting & biological treatment, regulations, medical wastes).

Solid Waste Landfill Design

March 20-22, 2018

University of Wisconsin Campus—Madison, WI

Actually a 3-day engineering seminar rather than a conference, The University of Wisconsin’s Solid Waste Landfill Design coursework focuses upon landfill theory, design, and management.   Specific topics include but are not limited to:

  • Polymer-Based Bentonite Composites In Geosynthetic Clay Liners
  • Landfill Gas Containment and Management for Emission Control and Regulatory Drivers
  • Design of Gas-to-Energy Projects, Management of CCR Landfills and Impoundments
  • Characterization and Management of Industrial Residuals

BioCycle West Coast 18

March 26-29, 2018

Town & Country Resort—San Diego, CA

Although billing itself as “the original and longest-running national conference on organics recycling (emphasis added), BioCycle West Coast 18 has a definite California buzz. The event features a workshop on March 26 titled Composite & Digestive Volumes Are Increasing—Are California Markets Ready? Subsequent conference sessions & exhibits are held March 27 and 28. The event ends on March 29 with an all-day site tour of nearby organics recycling facilities.

ISRI2018 Las Vegas

April 14-19, 2018

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino—Las Vegas, NV

Held by the International Scrap Recycling Institute and purportedly the “largest scrap recycling event in the world,” ISRI2018 is being held in this year in Las Vegas. Topics will include international trade, human resources, compliance, business valuation, and commodity-specific issues as they have to do with such recyclable wastes as plastic, ferrous and non-ferrous materials, tires, rubber, paper, and electronics.

WasteExpo 2018

April 23-26, 2018

Las Vegas Convention Center—Las Vegas, NV

WasteExpo 2018 is a presentation of Waste 360, an “information, event, commerce, and education provider” to the recycling community. There will be over 600 exhibitors among 12,000 attendees. Topics include but are not limited to recycling/landfill, fleet management/collection, organics, safety, and food recovery.

Wastecon 2018

August 20-23, 2018

Gaylord Opryland Resort—Nashville, TN

Another presentation of SWANA, conference topics will include food waste, waste technology, and the Internet of Things. But probably most interesting will be discussion and analyses of anticipated changes to the recycling landscape secondary to new Chinese import restrictions of recyclable waste. Past topics have included climate change, circular economy, closing dumpsites, energy recovery, marine litter, resource management, safety, smart technologies, and hazardous waste management challenges.

Disposal of hazardous waste doesn’t have to be painful.