On the Waste World podcast, Gage Edwards chats with Sara Burnett, executive director of ReFED, about why momentum is finally building and how bipartisan policy, private-sector engagement and consumer behavior shifts are starting to move the needle on a system-wide challenge that still sees a large share of food go uneaten.

Burnett spent nearly two decades at Panera Bread, where she led clean food, donation and sustainability initiatives before joining ReFED to scale data-driven solutions nationwide. A trained food scientist and supply chain expert, she has seen waste at every stage of the system and now focuses on helping businesses and policymakers implement practical, scalable strategies that reduce waste while improving efficiency and economics.

During the conversation, Sara details why embedded, operational solutions outperform behavior-dependent ones, how inflation is reshaping household food management, and where AI is already delivering real gains in inventory tracking, portion control and organics recovery. Burnett also highlighted the growing role of bipartisan policy support, clearer food date labeling and flexible portioning as levers that benefit businesses, consumers and communities alike.

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 is joined by Todd Thomas to examine how AI-driven growth is reshaping waste measurement, material recovery, and private-sector climate leadership. The conversation focuses on why 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point for construction sustainability.

Todd Thomas is the founder and CEO of Woodchuck, a climate-tech company using artificial intelligence to track, sort, and divert construction and manufacturing waste, with a particular focus on wood. He is also a (now) four-time bestselling author and the author of Hyperscale: AI, Data Centers, and the Next Great Expansion of Global Energy Capacity, where he explores the intersection of digital infrastructure, energy systems, and sustainability.

During the podcast, Todd discusses how AI data centers are forcing new standards in construction sustainability, why “zero wood waste” commitments signal a broader industry shift, and how AI-enabled waste tracking is making material flows and climate impact measurable for the first time. The show also covers how sustainability is moving beyond compliance toward a true competitive advantage for builders, operators, and technology leaders.

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.

Construction and demolition debris continues to be one of the most significant contributors to global waste generation, presenting both environmental challenges and opportunities for innovation. This episode of the Waste World Podcast features the WasteExpo 2025 panel session titled “C&D Recycling Landscape: The What’s Now & What’s Next,” which brought together industry leaders to examine the evolving state of C&D recycling and what lies ahead.

The session was moderated by Terri Ward, Executive Director and CEO of the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA), and featured panelists Brandon Lapsys, President of Viably; Jerame Renteria, Director of Marketing at GreenWaste; Terrell Garrett, CEO of GreenWay Recycling; and Mark Molitor, Vice President of Post Collections and Operations at LRS. Together, the panel represented perspectives from recycling operations, hauling, equipment, and industry advocacy.

Throughout the discussion, panelists explored the multifaceted nature of C&D recycling, including material variability, market pressures, and the role of technology in improving recovery rates. They also addressed regulatory frameworks, regional differences, and the importance of collaboration across the value chain. The session emphasized that while challenges remain, continued investment, innovation, and alignment between public and private stakeholders will be critical to unlocking the full potential of C&D recycling.

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.

The importance of safety in the waste and recycling industry can’t be more obvious, but some of the most impactful risks are also the easiest to overlook. This episode of the Waste World Podcast features the WasteExpo 2025 session titled “Safety Within Your Walls & Beyond – Shop, Fleet/Equipment & On the Street,” which brought together industry leaders to explore how safety must be addressed holistically across operations.

The session was moderated by Bob Dick, Senior Vice President and Business Unit Director for Mid-Atlantic Operations at SCS Engineers, and featured insights from Glen Neary of All Star Incentive Marketing, Megan Raines, VP of Health and Safety at Reworld, Ruben Garza, Owner of Ayaque Consulting, and Steve Saltzgiver, Senior Fleet Consultant at RTA: The Fleet Success Company. Together, the panel represented expertise spanning shop safety, fleet and equipment management, driver behavior, and organizational culture.

During the session, the panelists emphasized the importance of proactive risk assessments, practical safety incentives, and leadership accountability, particularly in areas that don’t always receive daily focus. From identifying hazards in maintenance shops to improving on-the-street safety for drivers and frontline workers, the session highlighted actionable strategies companies can implement to reduce incidents while maintaining operational efficiency. The conversation served as a reminder that effective safety programs don’t live in silos; they extend across people, equipment, and environments.

As 2025 comes to a close, the Waste World podcast takes a look back on a year of interesting and consequential news from the waste and recycling industry. In this special year-end episode, Gage Edwards counts down the Top 10 most impactful stories published on Waste360.com in 2025, highlighting the top stories from across the industry.

From fire safety and recycling economics to policy shifts, composting expansion, and major business moves, the episode captures the themes that defined the year. Together, the top stories offer a snapshot of an industry under pressure but still pushing forward through innovation, leadership, and collaboration.

On this episode of the Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards is joined by Adam Peer, senior director of plastics sustainability at the American Chemistry Council (ACC), for a wide-ranging discussion on how policy, data, and technology are shaping the future of plastics recycling in the U.S.

Peer leads ACC’s Plastics Sustainability Team, where he works across the value chain to advance policies and partnerships that support the industry’s goal of ensuring 100% of U.S. plastic packaging is reused, recycled, or recovered. With tons of experience in legislative, regulatory, and advocacy roles, Peer brings a policy-first lens to sustainability, one grounded in data, practical implementation, and collaboration among brand owners, recyclers, policymakers, and technology providers.

On this episode, Peer explores how EPR is changing the way stakeholders work together, where mechanical and advanced recycling fit into a scalable circular system, and why durable end markets remain critical to long-term success. The episode also touches on public trust, misconceptions around plastics bans, emerging sortation technologies, and why the transition to circularity is just as important as the end goal itself.

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.

AI is booming and the waste and recycling industry is beginning to see where AI can deliver real, measurable value. From improving fleet safety and operational efficiency to enhancing material sorting and consumer engagement, AI-powered technologies are reshaping how waste is collected, processed, and managed. This week’s episode of the Waste World podcast features a WasteExpo 2025 session titled, “AI-Powered Waste Solutions: A New Era of Efficiency and Safety” explored how these emerging tools are being deployed today—and what they mean for the future of industry operations.

The session was moderated by Sara Fuentes, founder and president of SmartWaste Inc., and featured a panel of technology leaders working across safety systems, robotics, data, and AI-driven decision-making. Panelists included Stevan Mikha, CTO of Prairie Robotics; Brian Sano, head of strategy at Intuitive AI; Tamey McIntosh, president of Global Sensor Systems; and Samantha Podgorny, digital product manager at Environmental Solutions Group. Together, the group brought perspectives spanning fleet operations, sensor-based safety technology, robotics, material sorting, and real-world AI implementation across municipal and commercial environments.

The panel examined how AI is being applied to key operational areas, including fleet and driver safety, computer vision and sensor technology, automated braking systems, robotics for material handling, and data-driven decision-making. The conversation also addressed challenges such as data quality, workforce adoption, scalability, and balancing automation with human oversight. Additionally, the speakers offered practical insights into where AI is delivering results today, how organizations can future-proof their operations, and why safety and efficiency must evolve together as the industry enters a new era of innovation.

On this episode of Waste World, Gage brings Andrew Johnston, Vice President of Industrials at Divert, on the show for an in-depth conversation on how Divert is scaling industrial food waste solutions nationwide. Johnston brings a blend of engineering expertise and commercial strategy to one of the most complex areas of wasted food infrastructure, and this episode explores what it really takes to build a future-ready system.

Andrew leads Divert’s industrials division, where he oversees facility development, logistics, commercialization, and large-scale industrial partnerships across the entire food value chain. With tons of experience guiding companies through growth, technology deployment, and operational efficiency, he has helped commercialize major anaerobic digestion projects and advance new models for food waste diversion. His multidisciplinary background, spanning engineering, market strategy, and systems thinking, shapes the way Divert designs flexible, scalable facilities and supports partners ranging from manufacturers to distribution hubs and logistics terminals.

During the conversation, Andrew breaks down the intricacies of operating industrial food waste facilities at a national scale, from the engineering behind anaerobic digestion to the coordination required across logistics, operations, and commercial teams. He shares how Divert balances feedstock volatility, why industrial partnerships must “play lightly with ideas,” and how the company positions facilities to local market conditions. Andrew also offers insights into emerging demand for end products like soil amendments, how customers are pursuing capital and operational efficiencies, and why a radically integrated national network will define the next decade of wasted food infrastructure.