David Biderman and Angelina Ruiz
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) pulled off an launch of its new signature trade show and conference in Columbus, OH during the week of November 10th, with an uptick in attendance, a substantial increase in exhibitors, and a positive vibe from many of the youthful participants.
As a brand new conference, SWANA鈥檚 goal was to create an experience by all who attended, through multiple networking opportunities, tours, and great education sessions. 听The new name, RCon鈩� was suggested by one of SWANA鈥檚 Young Professional (YP) leaders and is intended to reference the numerous words starting with the letter R that apply to the solid waste and recycling industry 鈥� including reuse, reduce, revitalize, recover, and of course, recycle.
The welcome session and opening keynote set the tone for a very different, and youthful, solid waste association event. Rock and roll music pulsated through a crowded room until SWANA CEO Amy Lestition Burke and SWANA President Elizabeth Roe took the stage and greeted attendees. Lestition Burke welcomed attendees to 鈥渢he new RCon鈩⑩�� and noted there were more than 1,600 registrants and over 200 exhibitors.
The mayor of Columbus, Andrew J. Ginther, discussed what the city is doing, including Rumpke鈥檚 role, and emphasized their dedication to carbon neutrality by 2050. He pointed out that they dealt with 34,000 tons of recyclables, diverted 100 tons of food waste, and opened two waste and reuse centers through partnerships in 2025. He finished his talk by saying sustainability and prosperity go hand in hand.
The Opening Session, which focused on improving safety culture in the industry, reflects SWANA鈥檚 continued emphasis on this important topic (and a topic near and dear to this writer鈥檚 heart). The discussion featured Erin Gilchrist, CEO of Fleet Unfiltered Consulting, who talked about why safety culture matters, and how to build a culture of safety that included leading from the top, hiring and empowering the right people, enabling tools and technology, and aligning safety in operations. Erin was joined by two experts in the industry, Suki Janssen, Solid Waste Director of Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department, and James Moore, Director of Merced County听Regional Waste Authority, who joined her for a fireside chat about what they have done in their organizations to advance safety measures and what positive changes they have experienced.
During the Thursday general session, Lestition Burke and Roe announced the dates and locations of RCon鈩� in 2026 and 2027. Next year鈥檚 RCon鈩� 2026 will be in St Louis, MO on September 29 to October 2, while RCon鈩� 2027 will be in the Pacific Northwest in Portland, OR, September 21 to 24. Representatives from both cities spoke briefly to encourage attendees to make plans to attend the RCon鈩� events in their city.
Walking the Exhibit Hall
Amped up by the rock and roll music and the RCon鈩� announcements, attendees then went to the exhibit hall for the Opening Reception. This event was very well-attended with lots of public and private sector representatives networking with each other and exhibitors.
Throughout the week, attendees walked the exhibit hall and explored the technologies and solutions that exhibitors were showcasing. Some of the exhibitors were featured speakers on the show floor, holding talks about various topics that could advance an organization鈥檚 efficiency, management, and safety goals.
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One feature in the exhibit hall that was busy throughout RCon鈩� was the pickleball court. Participants in athletic attire battled on the court on all three days the exhibit hall was open, and were cheered on by other attendees. The inclusion of a pickleball court in the exhibit hall will likely be a feature of RCon鈩� in future years.
A Variety of Timely Topics
RCon鈩� sessions covered a wide variety of topics, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), PFAS, safety, and landfills. One interesting breakout session was about planning for natural disasters, as speakers discussed how Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands responded to hurricanes/typhoons and the immense amount of debris generated by those storms. With the frequency and intensity of such storms expected to increase in the future, fueled by Climate Change, it is important for solid waste managers to plan for disasters, rather than waiting until the storm arrives to manage the situation.
There was a fair amount of discussion in the hallways and in the exhibit hall about the policy changes initiated by the Trump Administration and the impact on environmental programs and regulations affecting the solid waste and recycling industry. Robin Weiner, CEO of The Recycled Materials Association (formerly ISRI) spoke about the impact of tariffs on the scrap and waste industries, noting that the lack of certainty concerning what level of tariffs apply to specific imported equipment was creating challenges for her members. The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral argument on the Administration鈥檚 tariff program. A decision in that case, which may be issued by January 2026, may provide needed clarity on this important industry issue.
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SWANA also did extensive outreach to other organizations to maximize participation in the inaugural RCon鈩�. For example, the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) held the annual Fall Safety & Standards Meetings in Columbus, which included a new joint Safety Committee meeting between the NWRA and SWANA Safety Committees. In addition, the US Plastics Pact co-sited its 鈥淎ctivator Action Summit鈥� at RCon鈩�, with a special rate for attendees who registered for both the Summit and RCon
Annual Awards and Networking Events
One of the trademarks of an annual association conference is annual awards, and RCon鈩� was no exception. SWANA announced more than 20 awards, included Professional Achievement, Young Professional of the Year, Safety, and Technical Division awards. The prestigious Robert Lawrence Distinguished Service Award and Lawrence Lecture was delivered by Marc Rogoff from Geosyntec, a veteran SWANA member. Congratulations to all the award winners!
RCon鈩� 听also featured tours of the nearby Rumpke recycling facility, SWACO鈥檚 Franklin County Sanitary Landfill, Ohio State University鈥檚 stadium, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and even a backhouse tour of the Convention Center. With many of these tours sold out, attendees were treated to a 鈥渂ehind the scenes鈥� look at many locations鈥� waste diversion and recycling strategies.
Between the awards celebration, exhibit hall, and tours, there were ample networking opportunities for RCon鈩� participants. In addition, the Friday night reception was held at the North Market, a fun and funky food hall located close to the Greater Columbus Convention Center and nearby hotels. Attendees had the whole market to themselves to explore, enjoy the local foods, and celebrate a successful week with friends and colleagues.
Closing out the Week
One unusual feature of RCon鈩� 2025 was that it ended over the weekend on a Saturday. Although participation may have been lower than on previous days, the topics discussed, including SWANA鈥檚 Battery Workgroup meeting and a closing session on the future and resource management, were very important.
After giving a shoutout to the SWANA Ohio Buckeye chapter for their hospitality, Lestition 听Burke introduced Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO Keep America Beautiful, and Jeff Snyder, Senior Vice President of Recycling and Sustainability at Rumpke, for a chat about the future of waste and resource management. Lawson discussed the origins of America Recycles Day, and emphasized that e-commerce has caused a shift in material streams, such as cardboard, over the past decade. The biggest challenge is getting consumers to recycle correctly, since 67% think they are great at it. She said we need to address misunderstandings, educate, and streamline information. However, she is hopeful in looking towards the future because there is so much innovation and technology, in turn causing positive change in communities. She pointed out that the waste and recycling industry is one of the best fields for young people to enter鈥攆rom improving recovery environmental impacts, education, to the opportunity for job creation.
Snyder also spoke about the biggest opportunities in resource management. He said clean material moves in bad markets and the technology Rumpke has incorporated has really helped. While the overall packaging stream is changing, glass is infinitely recyclable and the demand for it is high. However, the struggle is that it is heavy and dirty, so you have to clean it a lot and that is a huge investment. Film and flexible recycling are coming, especially considering multilayer bags, food grade polypropylene, etc. He also said textiles, e-waste, and compostable packaging are on the horizon. Inks and adhesives鈥攈ow do we get some of those things to be recyclable? Synder pointed out the waste and recycling industry tackles some of the biggest issues in this country. The days of the 鈥済arbage man鈥� are changing. They not only pick up, but they help with contamination, circular economy, and technology, so how can we bring some new talent into our organizations? Waste isn鈥檛 going away; it is a matter of how we pull things out of the waste and that is where the next generation can really make a difference. Snyder said Rumpke would continue to transition as they move forward, and that changing waste management into resource management is really key.
Lestition Burke was proud of all of the work that SWANA and staff did to prepare for RCon鈩� as well as the event’s success in giving attendees a one-of-a-kind-experience, “RCon has delivered a new learning experience for the waste and resource management industry, inspiring attendees to bring new ideas and resources to their work. There is no real substitute for the power of in-person connections. SWANA is proud to bring together individuals from across the industry, building a resilient and future-looking community. We are excited to build on this amazing momentum as we plan for 2026 in St. Louis. Thank you to all participants, speakers, facilitators, exhibitors, sponsors, and other supporters who made RCon an experience to remember.”
With Waste Expo not taking place in 2026, there is an opportunity for RCon鈩� and other events next year to attract more exhibitors, attendees, and top-level speakers. We are looking forward to meeting again in St. Louis!