As a premier annual industry event where you can network with colleagues, increase your expertise through training, and attend sessions to transform your organization, NAHMMA鈥檚 40th Annual Conference will take place at the Naperville Marriott from September 21 鈥� 25.
By Kenneth Miller
Welcome to NAHMMA Corner! I would like to invite you to join Hazardous Materials Professionals from across North America at NAHMMA鈥檚 40th Annual Hazardous Materials Management Conference in Naperville, IL at the Naperville Marriott from September 21 鈥� 25, 2025. The conference is the premier annual industry event where you can network with colleagues, increase your expertise through training, and attend sessions to transform your organization.
Who is NAHMMA?
A little background on NAHMMA, in case you are just hearing about us. NAHMMA was established in 1993 and operates as a volunteer-run, non-profit association, committed to pollution prevention, product stewardship, and the safe and effective handling of hazardous materials from households and small businesses. Collectively, NAHMMA includes the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands. NAHMMA supports its members with exclusive, tailored training opportunities, relevant industry news, and access to a diverse and experienced multi-national network of professionals involved in the hazardous materials management industry.
Our 15-member Association Board of Directors currently includes representatives from the U.S. and Canada. In addition, the association maintains eight active committees to help provide guidance to the overall association:
鈥� Advocacy
鈥� Affiliations Committee
鈥� Chapters and Membership
鈥� Communications
鈥� Conference Planning
鈥� Executive Board
鈥� Finance
鈥� Training
There are also 10 regional chapters, each with their own chapter leadership committees. The Chapter structure provides regional direction and resources to provide networking, professional development, and focused member services for the benefit of members within the Chapter boundary.
Come for the Training, Tours, Networking, and Presentations
This year the format has shifted slightly based on feedback from previous attendees to improve the attendee experience. The new format has the annual conference unofficially kick off with professional development training on Sunday as usual. However, the conference opens with a general session, Annual Meeting of Membership, the popular speed networking, and the Membership Mixer on Mondy afternoon/evening. On Tuesday, September 23 we will open with a Keynote, followed by a full day of breakout sessions, the annual awards luncheon, and the evening vendor reception and silent auction. Wednesday brings more breakout sessions, a lunch plenary session, the always popular HHM Olympics, and our offsite event to downtown Chicago featuring a Chicago River Tour. The conference will conclude on Thursday with some additional professional development training opportunities and tours of local HHM Collections facilities and other relevant industry facilities.
Transform: Informative and Innovative Conference Sessions and Award-Winning Programs
Looking to improve your facility operations, enhance your facility鈥檚 recycling and reuse options, properly manage batteries and battery containing devices, and hear about advocacy tools for improve upstream management of hazardous materials? Connect with industry leading experts with award winning initiatives at NAHMMA鈥檚 40th Annual Hazardous Materials Management Conference!
This year the conference will offer 30 breakout sessions focused on these topics. You can head over to https://nahmma.org/40th_Annual_Conference to view the full conference session schedule to start making a list of key sessions you do not want to miss out on (Full sessions descriptions are available in the app upon registration).
You will also have the opportunity to attend the annual awards luncheon, where programs and individuals receive recognition for innovative approaches to materials management. After the awards luncheon, you will be able to network with the award winners and create connections to bring these approaches to your facility.
Train: Professional Development for Professionals, by Professionals
鈥淎 well-trained staff is key to delivering effective, efficient service.鈥� NAHMMA trainers have the field experience necessary to engage and educate the attendees in an interactive and exciting classroom format. Our trainees have said that 鈥淓xplosive and highly reactive chemical training was very informative. I enjoyed the conversations during the class and all the real-life situations we were shown in pictures. Even though the class was geared more towards the HHMs, other fields, such as mine with enforcement could completely relate. Thank you!鈥� This year NAHMMA is planning to offer the following training courses in Naperville during the conference week:
鈥� 24-Hour HAZWOPER/VSQG Collections & Operations 鈥�
Tailored to HHM & VSQG Facility Operators
鈥� Identifications of Unknowns
鈥� Disaster Debris Management for HHM Managers
鈥� Explosive and Highly Reactive Chemicals
鈥� Chemistry for non-chemists
鈥� HHM Collection Facility Best Practices
鈥� DOT Hazardous Materials Awareness
Network: Connect and Build Relationships, Both a Professional and Personal Level
The Annual NAHMMA Conference offers numerous opportunities to network with fellow attendees, including:
鈥� Facility Tours
鈥� Membership Mixer
鈥� Tuesday evening Vendor/Sponsor Reception
鈥� Offsite event
鈥� Speed Networking
As previously mentioned, the conference officially kicks off on Monday afternoon with the opening plenary session. The opportunities to network are plentiful, but no NAHMMA conference would be complete without the annual NAHMMA HHW Olympics. All attendees are invited to create teams of four to compete in a series of HHM themed events, including barrel rolling, the barrel dolly slalom and more. As a three-time medalist, I can tell you the competition is fierce (some teams train months in advance), yet fun.
There is always some good-natured heckling and encouragement among the participants.
All the networking, training, and transformative energy of our conference could not happen without all of our conference vendors, sponsors, and attendees. All attendees will have the opportunity to visit with vendors and sponsors during the vendor reception and in between the trainings, the sessions, and the keynotes.
I look forward to seeing you at what multiple attendees have called the 鈥淏est Conference Ever!鈥� in Naperville, IL from September 21 鈥� 25. Register before August 15 and save $150 with early bird pricing and enjoy early access to the conference app where you can begin networking with other attendees, presenters and Sponsors. | WA
Kenneth Miller currently serves as on the NAHMMA Board of Directors as Board President. He is the current Solid Waste Agency Administrator at the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency (DMASWA). In addition to his involvement with NAHMMA, Ken is also a member of several other professional organizations, including SWANA, the Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operator (ISOSWO 鈥� Board Member), the Iowa Recycling Association (IRA), the United States Composting Council, and the Iowa Composting Council (former Board Member). He can be reached on LinkedIn, e-mail聽[email protected], or visit .