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 also shares insights from his Undercover Boss experience, the role technology plays in Clean Harbors operations, and lessons from his book, “Doing the Doing.”

Thanks to our Sponsors: WASTELINQ, E-Tank, and Cascade Environmental

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 in-depth discussions on environmental leadership and innovation.

Dr. Slava Libman, co-founder and CEO of FTD Solutions, joins host Sean Grady on the Environmental Transformation Podcast to discuss how digital twin technology is transforming industrial water and energy use. Libman shares FTD’s origin story, explains how digital twins help facilities optimize performance and reduce costs, and explores their impact on sustainability and ESG goals. He also covers real-world applications in semiconductor manufacturing, collaboration through SEMI and IRDS, and how AI and data analytics are shaping the future of industrial efficiency.

Thanks to our sponsors: Cascade Environmental, E-Tank, and WASTELINQ

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 forcing change. Bilott also explains how states like New Jersey and Minnesota are leading regulation, the global scope of PFAS contamination, and the need for new technology and laws to address the crisis.

Thanks to our Sponsors: Cascade Environmental, E-Tank, and WASTELINQ

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 across the U.S.

Thanks to our Sponsors: WASTELINQ, E-Tank, and Cascade Environmental

Lisa Foster is a business coach, speaker, and author of Bag Lady: How I Started a Business for a Greener World and Changed the Way America Shops. In this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady talks with Lisa about her journey founding 1 Bag at a Time, Inc., one of the first reusable grocery bag companies in the U.S., and how she scaled it to sell millions of bags. Lisa shares insights on leadership, emotional intelligence, and building high-performing teams. She also previews her free one-hour training on one-on-one meetings and her upcoming six-week leadership series.

To receive at 20% discount on Lisa's Leadership Essentials course starting September 24, 2025, sign up here!

https://calendly.com/lisadfoster/leadership-essentials-group-coaching-series-clone

Thanks to our sponsors: Cascade Environmental, E-Tank, and WASTELINQ.

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 compliance across states and globally. The discussion also covers the China waste import ban, circular economy challenges, and the future of recycling infrastructure.00:00 Why Recycling Needs a National Approach01:13 Meet Megan Colligan Hembry: EPR Legal Expert02:25 EPR Explained: Extended Producer Responsibility04:54 The 2018 Turning Point & Policy Responses07:19 Industry's Struggle: Adapting to China’s Ban11:39 How Companies Organize for EPR Compliance13:38 Packaging, Supply Chains, and Regulatory Complexity16:14 Operational Challenges Inside EPR Programs18:46 EPR’s Impact on Product and Package Design21:24 Data Collection & Reporting Complexities24:50 Making Packaging Truly Recyclable28:12 Beyond Packaging: Tires, Batteries & Other EPR Products32:48 Does EPR Drive Innovation and Sustainability?35:47 Federal vs State EPR: Who Should Take the Lead?40:19 RCRA, Universal Waste, and Circular Economy Paths45:47 Will EPR Raise Prices? Costs, Consumers & Fairness50:03 Will EPR Actually Improve Recycling for Consumers?52:00 Why Systematic Recycling Education Matters54:34 Making Recycling Trendy & Accessible55:40 Closing Thoughts & Outlook on EPR and Sustainability

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Host Sean Grady interviews Dr. Surinder Singh, CEO and co-founder of Relyion Energy Inc. Dr. Singh explains how his company is reshaping energy management through AI-driven forecasting, energy management systems (EMS), and battery management systems (BMS). He shares the story behind Relyion's technology, how it extends battery life up to 20 years, and why utility-scale clients, data centers, and commercial operators are turning to their solutions for smarter, more efficient energy usage. Learn how Relyion outperformed traditional forecasting tools by 13x in ERCOT and why now is the right time to adopt these game-changing innovations.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Surinder Singh and Relyion Energy

02:13 – The Three Pillars: Forecasting, EMS, and BMS

07:25 – Extending Battery Life Beyond 20 Years

12:40 – Relyion’s Early Use of Recycled EV Batteries

16:50 – Transitioning from Product Demonstration to Platform Innovation

21:30 – Minimal-Invasive Technology and Deployment Flexibility

24:42 – Beating Traditional Forecasting Models: PG&E and ERCOT Case Studies

29:58 – The Power of Forecasting + EMS for Grid Efficiency

34:22 – Grocery Store Case Study: ROI in Under 3 Years

38:09 – EV Charging, Microgrids, and Peak Shaving Optimization

41:32 – Battery Agnosticism and Real-Time Adaptation

48:40 – Implementation Timeline and Customer Onboarding

53:01 – Cloud-Based Forecasting and Edge AI Hardware

56:11 – Commercial Growth and Market Expansion

59:55 – Relyion’s Holistic Approach vs. Siloed Competition

1:03:05 – Utility Design and Grid Planning Applications

1:05:28 – Gen AI and New Demands on the Grid

1:07:20 – How to Connect with Relyion Energy

🔗 Learn more: https://www.relyionenergy.com

📧 Contact: [email protected]

#EnvironmentalTransformation #EnergyAI #BatteryTech #UtilityGrid #Sustainability #CleanTech #DrSurinderSingh #RelyionEnergy #PodcastChapters

In this episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady talks with Alan Roberson, Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA). Roberson shares insights from over 34 years in water policy, including how ASDWA supports state drinking water agencies, challenges of PFAS regulation, and the impact of federal funding shortfalls on public health protection. The discussion covers drinking water regulations, the role of state labs, infrastructure funding, workforce shortages, and more.

Chapters with Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction and Guest Background

02:12 – What Is ASDWA and Its Mission

04:33 – ASDWA’s Role in Federal Rulemaking

07:05 – PFAS Regulation Updates and Compliance Timelines

13:42 – State Data Sharing and Collaboration

18:20 – Concerns Over GenX and Short-Chain PFAS

22:01 – Cost of Compliance and Affordability

26:44 – Federal Funding Gaps and SRF Limitations

31:10 – Holding Polluters Accountable

34:40 – State-Level PFAS Standards and Support

38:02 – Lab Testing Capacity and State Limitations

42:35 – Lead Pipe Inventories and Replacement Challenges

46:10 – Regulatory Burdens and Ratepayer Equity

49:20 – Infrastructure Needs and Workforce Challenges

54:00 – ASDWA’s Top Priorities for 2025

57:30 – Final Thoughts and Closing

PFAS drinking water rule, Safe Drinking Water Act, lead pipe replacement, Alan Roberson, ASDWA, EPA drinking water standards, public health and water utilities, SRF funding, UCMR5, GenX chemicals, state drinking water labs, water infrastructure, environmental policy, clean water initiatives, water workforce shortage, environmental transformation podcast

Veteran environmental attorney Phil Comella joins host Sean Grady on the Environmental Transformation Podcast to break down the EPA’s proposed rollback of PFAS drinking water regulations. With over 40 years of experience, Comella offers expert legal insight on how the delayed compliance deadlines, potential MCL reductions, and CERCLA implications could affect municipalities, water utilities, waste management companies, and communities already exposed to PFAS. The conversation covers legal risks, scientific uncertainty, and the regulatory gaps that complicate cleanup and accountability.

Thanks to our sponsors: Cascade Environmental, E-Tank, and WASTELINQ

📍 Chapters:0:00 – Introduction and Phil Comella’s background2:42 – What the EPA’s PFAS proposal actually means6:30 – Delays, politics, and public health impact10:10 – Why the proposed changes matter for communities14:50 – Legal risk for utilities, ratepayers, and manufacturers19:25 – Superfund and the challenge of hazardous substance listings24:40 – The case for a dedicated PFAS statute28:35 – Wastewater treatment, landfills, and managing leachate33:45 – PFAS in household products and regulatory blind spots38:50 – Exposure, science, and tort law consequences44:25 – Thoughts on the path forward for EPA regulation50:00 – Dark Waters, science-based policy, and legal legacy🧪 Get expert legal context on one of today’s most pressing environmental health challenges.