Waste Management Episodes

Battelle's Chlorinated Conference draws 1,500 environmental professionals from 23 countries, and its division manager explains why PFAS treatment is pushing the industry to its limits. Joe Tarsavage, Division Manager of Environmental Solutions at Battelle, discusses the 30-year history of the Chlorinated Conference, how PFAS contamination has reset treatment standards from two nines to five or six nines of removal, and why that gap is driving rapid innovation across the remediation sector. He al...

The U.S. Department of Energy spends roughly $8 billion annually cleaning up nuclear waste from Manhattan Project-era sites like Hanford, Washington and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. On this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady sits down with Steve Moore, president and CEO of Veolia Nuclear Solutions Federal Services Group, to discuss the agency's most pressing environmental liabilities and innovative remediation technologies. Moore describes the scale of the challe...

Host Sean Grady talks with Kevin Lavezzo of CHEMTREC about the side of the chemical world most people never see, but responders rely on when accurate information matters. They unpack what CHEMTREC actually does, including how its Emergency Operations Center triages calls, uses tools like the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), and connects callers with product experts. Lavezzo explains a common misconception: first responders can call CHEMTREC for help without paying a fee, and the team will sti...

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...

On this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady speaks with Enviro Apps co founder Amit Bhargava live at the EHS Hazmat Summit. Bhargava explains how his platform streamlines digital hazardous waste and dangerous goods documentation, improves emergency response times, reduces administrative burden, and helps shippers and carriers save money. He also discusses regulatory hurdles, SAP integrations, sustainability features, and real time data access for emergency respon...

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...

Host Sean Grady interviews attorney Robert Bilott live from the AHMP EHS Hazmat Summit in Louisville, Kentucky. Bilott, the lawyer whose work inspired the film Dark Waters, shares his decades-long fight against DuPont over PFAS contamination, the failures of early chemical disclosure, and the challenges of pushing the EPA to regulate forever chemicals. He discusses his book Exposure, the ongoing litigation nationwide, the impact on water utilities and ratepayers, and how consumer demand is forci...

Sourgum co-founder and CEO Joe DiNardi-Mack shares how his team is using technology, AI, and data analytics to modernize the waste and recycling industry. He discusses scaling a nationwide waste management platform, supporting local haulers, improving routing and diversion rates, and offering enterprise waste solutions. Topics include waste management software, recycling technology, sustainability strategies, startup growth, Series A funding, and building an operating system for waste services a...

In this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady talks with Meaghan Colligan Hembree, Environmental, Compliance & Disputes Partner at Holland & Knight in Washington, D.C. She counsels Fortune 500 companies and global brands on chemical risk, environmental compliance, and high-stakes disputes.Hembree explains extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws, how they affect packaging, plastics, recycling, and supply chains, and what companies must do to prepare for complian...

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 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 ...

Using Super Absorbent Polymers (SAPs) to solidify liquid wastes with Whit Rawls. In this compelling installment of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, Sean sits down with Whit Rawls, the expert sales engineer from Chase Corp's Zappa Stewart, to explore the fascinating technology behind SAPs. We deep dive into the use and impact of SAPs across various sectors, including waste management, sediment dredging, drilling operations, municipal wastewater treatment, and environmental remediation. F...

Venture Investment Strategies with Ginger Rothrock of HG Ventures. In this compelling episode, our host dives into an enriching conversation with Dr. Ginger Rothrock, the Senior Investment Director at HG Ventures. They explore the exhilarating realm of venture capital, the essential role of startups in fostering innovation, and the intriguing blend of science, business, and technology. With insights from Ginger's wealth of experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and scientist, listeners are bro...

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...

A discussion with the U.S. EPA’s Office of Water Deputy Assistant Administrator Bruno Pigott. So much is happening in the water space at the EPA these days, from lead and copper water supply pipe replacement programs to newly proposed PFAS Drinking Water regulations, the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR), and much more. I had the opportunity to catch up with Bruno to discuss these topics and how the agency is responding to threats on human health and the environment in this episode....

As a practicing environmental lawyer, Joel Burcat writes Environmental Legal Thrillers that are both electrifying and accurate. If you are looking for an exciting environmental legal thriller that is on par with some other big named authors, give Joel a try. He is passionate about the environment and focuses a lot of his attention writing about the topic. He’s won several awards and has been recognized as one of the rising literary stars in the thriller category. Three of his novels are environm...

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 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...