Waste World

In this episode of Waste World, Charlotte Dreizen, Senior Director of Sustainability & Environment at the Plastics Industry Association, joins the podcast to discuss Operation Clean Sweep and the industry's efforts to prevent resin loss. Dreizen explains the program's role in promoting responsible resin handling, the importance of putting best practices into action, and why participation and accountability across the supply chain are critical to reducing plastic pollution.

Plastic resin plays an essential role in the manufacturing of countless products, but when pellets, flakes and powders escape during production, transportation or handling, they can become a source of environmental pollution. Preventing that loss requires coordination across the plastics supply chain, from manufacturers and processors to transporters and distributors. 

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of Waste World, Gage Edwards is joined by Ryan Nordt, executive director of Recycling Operations at WM. Ryan has spent more than 20 years in the recycling industry, where today he helps guide the company’s growth investment strategy while overseeing technology, capital deployment, innovation and business optimization. 

During the episode, Ryan talks about the challenges and opportunities shaping recycling, the role of technology and cross-sector collaboration, and what it will take to build a more effective and economically sustainable recycling system.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of the Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards talks with Cean Comley of Cox Fleet about the challenges of keeping waste and recycling fleets running efficiently. The two dive into the importance of preventive maintenance, technician training and the processes that help fleets avoid breakdowns and keep trucks on the road.

Comley also discusses the workforce challenges facing fleet maintenance operations, including the need for skilled technicians and ways to better prepare workers for increasingly complex vehicles. 

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of the Waste World podcast, Gage Edwards sat down with Patrick Krieger, senior vice president of sustainability and policy at the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), during the National Plastics Conference in Houston, Texas. The two examined the challenges of advancing plastics sustainability and the role policy, manufacturing, and recycling infrastructure play in improving environmental outcomes.

Krieger discussed actions plastics producers can take to improve product design and recyclability, how policymakers can develop legislation that delivers meaningful results, and what recycling businesses need to strengthen markets for recycled plastics. The conversation also explored the challenges created by differing state-level policies and the importance of collaboration across the plastics value chain.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of Waste World, Gage Edwards chats with Myles Cohen, founder of Circular Ventures, about new research challenging some of the conventional thinking around packaging recyclability and consumer behavior. Cohen discusses survey findings and what they reveal about how consumers actually view recycling and what they could mean for brands and the broader recycling industry.

Cohen also discusses some of the larger challenges facing residential recycling, including consumer confusion, complicated recycling labels, rising costs, and where the industry is directing its resources. He explains his idea of “tripping over dollars to pick up pennies” and why the industry may need to rethink where it focuses its efforts if it wants to make meaningful progress. 

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

In this episode of the Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards chats with Ryan Fogelman, co-founder of Fire Rover, about his new children's book, Supercharged! Batty and the Battery Rescue Team, and its goal of teaching young people about lithium-ion battery safety and proper disposal. Fogelman explains why he believes education should start before batteries enter the waste stream and how reaching children, families, and educators could help change the next generation's disposal habits.

The podcast also explores how consumer education, battery take-back programs, and prevention efforts can complement the industry's work to identify and respond to fires, with Supercharged! serving as another tool to bring that message to a younger audience. Plus, Fogelman provides insights from his September 2026 waste industry fire report.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of the Waste World podcast, Gage Edwards travels to Houston, TX, to chat with Matt Seaholm, CEO of the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), about the conversations taking place at the National Plastics Conference and the importance of bringing the industry together. Seaholm discusses what he's hearing from attendees, the policy and economic issues facing plastics manufacturers, opportunities for greater collaboration across the plastics value chain, and what gives him optimism about the industry's future.

During the conversation, Seaholm discusses what he has been hearing from industry leaders and attendees at the National Plastics Conference, the challenges facing plastics manufacturers, the evolving policy environment, and the importance of collaboration across the plastics value chain. He also shares his perspective on the role PLASTICS plays in bringing the industry together and what gives him optimism about the future of U.S. plastics manufacturing.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

In this episode of the Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards chats with Christy Hurlburt, Senior Director at Viably, about the challenges and opportunities facing the waste and sustainability industries. With experience spanning climate technology, the circular economy, food waste diversion, and resource recovery, Hurlburt discussed what it takes to move sustainability initiatives beyond ambitious goals and into practical, scalable solutions.

Hurlburt explores how businesses and communities can connect environmental priorities with the realities of day-to-day operations, from food waste and resource recovery to policy implementation and emerging technologies. Hurlburt also shared her perspective on the role of innovation, industry collaboration, and strategic planning in building systems that deliver both environmental and economic value.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of the Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards speaks with David Lawes, CEO of Interchange 360, about the role of product stewardship and collection system design in improving recycling and recovery. Lawes explained why the way materials are collected can have a major impact on participation, contamination, and recovery rates, particularly for specialized products such as lubricants and petroleum-based automotive products that don't belong in traditional curbside recycling.

Lawes also discussed why dedicated collection systems can provide better outcomes for certain material streams and how existing commercial infrastructure can help improve participation while controlling costs. He also explored the importance of convenience in influencing recycling behavior, the roles producers and governments can play in developing effective stewardship programs, and why improving collection systems will be critical to building a more effective circular economy across North America.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

On this episode of the Waste World podcast, Gage Edwards talks with Emily Darchuk, founder and CEO of Wheyward Spirit and a 2026 Waste360 40 Under 40 award winner. Darchuk discusses her entrepreneurial journey, the inspiration behind building a business around upcycled whey, and the challenges of bringing an unconventional circular economy concept to the consumer market.

Through Wheyward Spirit, Darchuk is demonstrating how an overlooked dairy byproduct can be transformed into a valuable new product. She and Edwards also explore the growing opportunities in food waste upcycling, the business case for circular economy innovation, and what she sees ahead for entrepreneurs looking to rethink the materials traditionally viewed as waste.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.