Recycling Episodes

TerraCycle CEO and co-founder Tom Szaky returns to the Environmental Transformation Podcast with host Sean Grady for an update on what has changed since his last appearance in episode 20 in 2020. Szaky breaks down why most items are “not recyclable” because of economics, not technology, and why reuse is TerraCycle’s biggest investment through the Loop platform, including what it has taken to scale in France. The conversation also digs into U.S. recycling headwinds, extended producer responsibili...

Alan McKim, founder of Clean Harbors, joins the Environmental Transformation Podcast to discuss how he grew the company from a four-person startup in 1980 into one of North America's largest environmental and industrial services providers. McKim reflects on early emergency response work, major acquisitions including Safety Kleen, going public during the 1987 crash, and building a nationwide network of 20,000 employees, 10,000 vehicles, 700 service centers, and 100 permitted waste facilities. He ...

Host Sean Grady welcomes Scott Parker, Executive Director of Enfinite—the Industrial Liquid Recycling Association—to discuss the organization’s rebrand from NORA and its mission to connect, educate, and protect the industrial liquid recycling industry. Parker shares Enfinite’s history, key regulatory advocacy work, challenges like PFAS management and driver shortages, and how members are embracing technology and sustainability. Get more episodes of The Environmental Transformation Podcast for i...

In this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady welcomes Michael Hoffman, president and CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA). Hoffman shares his 37 years of experience in the waste and recycling industry, discusses NWRA's advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels, and outlines his vision for improving safety, membership engagement, and industry innovation. He also explains the challenges surrounding packaging EPR, PFAS regulation,...

Join host Sean Grady as he welcomes Jim Sullivan, Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Veolia North America’s Environmental Solutions and Services (ESS) group. In this insightful conversation, Jim discusses his extensive career journey at Veolia, detailing how his roles in sales, operations, and strategic leadership have shaped the company’s sustainability vision and innovation strategy. Discover how Veolia’s ESS group is driving significant advancements in hazardous waste management,...

In this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady speaks with Jasper Steinhausen, business consultant, author, and CEO of Business with Impact. Jasper specializes in helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) integrate sustainability into their business models—profitably. Learn how to make sustainability profitable with Jasper Steinhausen, business consultant, author, and CEO of Business with Impact. In this episode, we explore how small and medium-sized e...

Sean Grady sits down with Wendy Buckley, President and CEO of STARS HazMat Consulting, to discuss the vital topic of lithium-ion battery safety. With over 27 years of experience in hazmat transportation and regulatory compliance, Wendy shares her expertise on the hazards, regulations, and industry best practices for handling these powerful yet potentially dangerous batteries. The conversation covers everything from the everyday devices powered by lithium-ion batteries — like smartphones, e...

Sean Grady interviews Sean Easton, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Wastelinq, a cutting-edge waste-tracking software platform. Easton discusses his journey in the waste industry, from his career beginnings to co-founding Wastelinq, which has innovative features such as AI-assisted waste profiling, dynamic routing for treatment methods, and inventory management. Additionally, they touch on sustainability goals, compliance, and the importance of data privacy. Easton shares insights on the ...

Sean Grady interviews Robert Wilkinson, an expert with over 25 years of experience in environmental investigation, assessment, and management. Robert, who is the CCR Technical Manager at TDEC's Bureau of Environment, discusses his extensive background and how he became involved in managing issues related to coal combustion residuals (CCR) at TVA coal-fired power plants in Tennessee. The conversation dives into the history and regulatory framework of CCR, the environmental and health impacts, the...

In this episode we discuss Water Filtration and Equipment Selection. Properly sizing a water filtration system can be challenging. Who do you call when you need help figuring out the size of pumps you need to drain a retention pond, or what type of filtration unit should you use to process or treat contaminated surface water or groundwater? Selecting effective treatment media is another difficult task many struggle with. I discuss these questions and more with ⁠⁠Andrew Morris⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Jesse Green...

The Insecurity of Everything with Co-Author John Shegerian, CEO of ERI. Learn how hardware data security has become the biggest issue facing the world today. Also, we discuss the challenges with properly managing end of life electronics, including solar panels, and how ERI helps companies manage these discarded assets. We also discuss how John got started ERI and what drives him as an entrepreneur and business owner. Thanks to our Sponsors: Cascade, Pace Labs, and E-Tank #sustainability #esg ...

Learn about organic recycling strategies, challenges, and how it fits into ESG programs with Ryan Cooper, Director of Circular Economy Solutions and the Organics Recycling Lead at Rubicon. We discuss why composting is a great option for many companies looking to divert their organic waste from landfill. Learn how circular economy practices are not as difficult as one might think and can have a huge benefit on the environment and a company’s bottom line. We discuss how state and federal regulatio...

Learn how LastObject is eliminating single use personal care products with Co-Founder Isabel Aagaard. Her mission is to create durable and well-designed products that are reusable. When she and her team discovered the harmful effects of single-use cotton swabs on the environment, they started working on a solution to fix it. They first produced Last Swab and then followed it up with LastTissue, which aims to bring the handkerchief back and stop the waste caused by single-use tissues; then they c...

Learn why E-Tank is the fastest growing and most reliable equipment rental companies in the industry with James Busch and Andrew Morris. Thanks to our sponsors: IHMM, E-Tank, and Cascade Environmental

Ron Gonen, CEO of Closed Loop Partners and Author of his new book “The Waste Free World” talks about his experience as an entrepreneur when he started RecycleBank and then became the Deputy Commissioner of Sanitation, Recycling, and Sustainability in New York City that eventually led him to start Closed Loop Partners where he focuses on strategically investing in companies that are involved with building the Circular Economy. We discuss what led him to write his new book and how we ended up in t...

Food Waste is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas and a major problem in society. It’s the dirty little secret not many talk about. Pete Pearson, Senior Director of Food Loss and Waste at the World Wildlife Fund, sheds light on the contributing factors that cause the food waste, the side effects of over consumption, and the lack of an efficient production and distribution systems that would improve the way we grow, transport, and consume food. Learn how bad the food waste problem really...

Stephanie Miller founded Zero Waste in DC to focus on the application of zero waste strategies that have a real and sustainable impact. With a goal of reaching as wide an audience as possible, she provides advisory services to individual households as well as community and corporate presentations. Within her 25-year career at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, she served as Director of IFC’s Climate Business Department where she led global team...

This week’s podcast interview is with Bruno Pigott, the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, where he give us the State of Union on the Environmental initiatives and future priorities for IDEM in 2021. In episode 2 of this series, we talk about Stormwater Management initiatives, statewide PFAS water sampling programs, Curbside Recycling, and how IDEM managed environmental compliance during the COVID crisis. You will not want to miss this informative episode. So che...