Latest news with #WasteExpo
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amp grows focus on custom MSW sortation offerings
This story was originally published on Waste Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Waste Dive newsletter. Amp, known for its AI-powered sortation technology for recycling, is planning to expand one of its newer offerings: MSW processing. Amp has been 'quietly' ramping up its MSW diversion offerings for the last few years, namely through its Amp One sorting technology, said CEO Tim Stuart. Now, such MSW sorting offerings are a growing part of the company's portfolio, he said during an interview at WasteExpo in May. The Amp One system, designed to be co-located with landfills and transfer stations, can separate bagged trash into mixed recyclables, organics and residue streams. The ramp-up comes a few months after Amp announced it had raised $91 million in series D funding in an effort to accelerate Amp One system deployments. 'We're very confident that we can get maybe a half a dozen of these facilities going over the next three or four years,' he said. One such project is a partnership with the Southeastern Public Service Authority, which handles waste management for eight localities in the region of Portsmouth, Virginia. Amp was already operating a pilot facility there as a partnership with Recycling and Disposal Solutions. Portsmouth officials announced earlier this month that SPSA would partner with Amp to offer the MSW sorting services on a broader regional scale. Stuart estimates the existing Amp One system was processing 30,000 to 40,000 tons of MSW a year, but the new agreement with SPSA would process the authority's estimated 500,000 tons of MSW a year. SPSA solicited proposals last year for disposal diversion solutions due to the closure of the nearby WIN Waste Innovations waste-to-energy plant. At the height of operations, the plant diverted more than 70% of the region's trash from the landfill in nearby Suffolk, the Smithfield Times reported. At the time, the authority estimated that landfill would reach capacity by 2060 unless it pursued diversion options. Amp says it will achieve about a 50% diversion rate for SPSA's material. Amp will operate the facility at a certain per-ton processing rate, but SPSA will still own the material. Amp is in talks to install custom Amp One systems in a handful of other 'large municipalities' either through an RFP or pilot agreement, particularly in regions that have landfill constraints. Amp also plans to work with private haulers that don't internalize their own material, he said. 'There's a ton of municipalities that want more diversion. They want a longer life on their landfills, so this is meant to be good for the environment and good for the economics of things,' he said. 'It's an important component of the business, because by attacking MSW, it's just another way to recycle.' Recommended Reading Waste Connections to build its first MRF in Colorado in partnership with AMP
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WM President John Morris on AI, autonomous equipment and tech investments
This story was originally published on Waste Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Waste Dive newsletter. WM President and Chief Operating Officer John Morris remembers driving his first waste vehicles in college, a time when riding on the back of the truck was standard and 'the only air conditioning was rolling the windows down.' Today, Morris oversees field operations for the company, which has a fleet of over 18,000 collection vehicles and a suite of technologies to make those vehicles safer and more efficient. 'The technology that's in these trucks is light years ahead of where it was,' he said. Morris was appointed president of WM last week. He'll continue his field operations role, and multiple executives, including those leading sustainability, customer experience and enterprise strategy, will now report to him. Morris has previously served as market area general manager of New York City, area vice president of the greater Mid-Atlantic Area, chief strategy officer, and senior vice president of field operations. Morris says the company has been strategic about how it adopts and rolls out the latest tech upgrades. The industry struggles to retain labor, he said, and the right investments are helping WM become less labor dependent. At the same time, it also provides opportunities to retain employees by providing vehicles and facilities that are safer and more comfortable than before. 'When we buy more expensive, sophisticated trucks, it costs more to maintain them, but the overall benefit to the business is something we're comfortable with,' he said. 'First and foremost, I want to be safe. But we're also in business to be profitable, not just efficient.' Morris sat down with Waste Dive on May 6, during WasteExpo in Las Vegas, to discuss how WM is adding AI upgrades to its existing technology, improving on longtime cab technology and piloting new programs for heavy equipment operators. He also discussed pilot programs for using autonomous vehicle technology at landfills. WM CEO Jim Fish has previously called for a 'significant percentage' of WM's heavy equipment fleet be autonomous by 2030. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. JOHN MORRIS: AI is helping inform the business better and helping us operate more efficiently. We've had forms of artificial intelligence in the business for probably eight or 10 years. If you go into our recycling facilities, what was once a manual sorting role has been automated over the years. When you look at those optical sorters, that is a form of artificial intelligence. It's reading the material and sorting without us ever having to touch it. AI is also helping us from a safety perspective to avoid things like repetitive motion injuries, as well as from an efficiency standpoint. When you look inside some of our cabs, it's interesting to see why [we first adopted AI-assisted technology in trucks]. We had a very prohibitive labor agreement on the West Coast [about 15 years ago], and we were having a problem with our drivers taking pictures if the cans were overloaded. They were supposed to take a picture and send it to a mailbox so we could send the sales rep out [to talk to the customer.] We could not get folks in that particular labor union under that labor agreement to take pictures. We started looking for ways to augment what they wouldn't do by using technology. What that has morphed into is now every one of our commercial front-load trucks gets still or video images of every transaction. When we service a container, we can see what's happening as we're going into the container, both the outside and what's inside, and we have cameras on the hopper. We probably pick up about 700 million yards a year of commercial material. That gets us data on every one of those transactions, so you really start to understand customer behavior to see what's working, not working, or you can address safety issues. Virtually none of those images are processed by a person. There's still a human in the loop, but it's more of a [quality control] thing. We have a team in India, and if we have to send [an image] to somebody in operations or sales, that information will come back overnight, so there's a lot of power in that. The other area where I've been thrilled with the progress we're making is really from a safety perspective. We were an early adopter of Lytx [a fleet management and telematics technology]. We have that technology in every one of our collection vehicles and all our supervisory vehicles. We've been using artificial intelligence and recognition technology to be able to identify [potentially unsafe driving behavior]. That information, gathered through AI, is coaching people in a positive way, as opposed to disciplining them. It's so hard to hire drivers. So when we look at that technology, we see a coaching opportunity and a development opportunity. You can sit down with one of your drivers and say, 'Hey, listen, here's what we've been noticing about your behavior. You should be following at three seconds, because if you don't, you're 40% more likely to have a collision.' We've had routing engineers and different forms of routing software. Everybody in the industry has for a lot of years, but there was really never a software program that was built specifically for the waste industry. With the number of transactions we do a year, certainly, we want to make sure that our folks are efficient. We also found that when you have 'routine breakers,' meaning you have to deviate from a schedule for some reason, the risk of having an incident goes up. We run about 4,000 industrial roll-off routes. How we route on Monday is entirely different on Tuesday. So there's a dynamic nature in that industrial line of business that's unique — more so than commercial, and certainly more so than residential. We saw the opportunity to build out an [industrial] routing technology through our internal ops research team. The key is that it's dynamic. There are about 72 attributes that go into making a decision on how to service an industrial roll-off container, things like container type, truck type, disposal type, location. We just made another improvement that we're rolling out. We've had tablets in our trucks and onboard computers for over a decade, but when you pull up to a container, drivers have to [interact with the screen multiple times]. What we're trying to do is find ways to make the technology passive. … We want them to focus on safely servicing their customers and not get distracted. So we went back with our software engineers and reworked it so that now we'll use the latitude and longitude of the truck and actuators on the arms to be able to automatically confirm that we've serviced the container. I often talk about total cost of operation. [For example,] we have more sophisticated trucks now, with a lot more technology, so they're going to be more expensive to maintain. I'm more interested in knowing the total cost of operation. We can look at how we allocate dollars on capital, and what we've been cautious about is making sure that we're not putting technology in for technology's sake. When you talk about AI, it means 50 different things to 50 different people. I talk about it in terms of, how are we going to use technology broadly to modernize our business model and structurally get our cost down? Even though the pressure on the labor market has eased from where it was a few years ago, I think over the long term, if you sort of follow the math, those labor scarcity issues are going to persist. I sit on the board of the National Association of Manufacturers, and there are stats [from that business sector] that say in the next five years we're going to need 4 million folks to fill manufacturing jobs. We'll be lucky to get half of them. There's something we are piloting right now [in Arizona and in the Pacific Northwest]. We've done some work with some heavy equipment folks on remote control operations. If you have a facility in the middle of nowhere, a very hard-to-access place, it's gonna be hard to get labor. However, maybe you can put someone in a chair in what looks like a gaming room, they can run the equipment from anywhere. That certainly is going to help from a labor perspective. An example could be automating operations like [loading dirt at a landfill]. Heavy equipment is probably a near-term application for those reasons. I could see an application where we might be able to do some form of autonomous movement of long-haul waste. But are we right around the corner from having a fully autonomous refuse vehicle running through neighborhoods and school zones? I think that [will take longer]. As far as labor training, we've had training centers for years, and we train about 85 to 90 drivers every week and about 15 to 20 technicians every week. We are just now rolling out the [program] for heavy equipment operators. Our training facility in Florida is on a closed landfill, so it's an ideal spot for heavy equipment operators. We are going to continue having labor scarcity and facing the cost of labor, and we continue looking to the advancement of technology [to help] outstrip that labor pressure. At the same time, everybody in the industry is trying to figure out how to hang on to their employees. Recommended Reading WM says tariffs unlikely to affect RNG, MRF plans for 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WasteExpo 2025 Gathers more than 14,500 Registered Professionals to Unveil New Products and Solutions to Drive Efficiencies in Waste Management
This year's edition held 600+ exhibitors spanning 90 product categories, hosting critical conversations in technology & innovation, operations, fleet & safety, investment, upcycling and organics recycling. LAS VEGAS, NV / / May 15, 2025 / WasteExpo, North America's largest tradeshow for solid waste, recycling, organics, food waste recovery and sustainability, brought together professionals from 100 countries to explore a wide spectrum of the most trending topics in solid waste. Through immersive product offerings, show floor features and tailored conference agendas, WasteExpo is the catalyst that drives progress in waste management and recycling solutions. Companies AMCS, Battle Motors, Castrol Heavy Duty, Caterpillar, Impact Environmental Group (IEG), Reworld, Big Truck Rental (BTR), McNeilus, Rehrig Pacific Company, Shur-Co, Mack Trucks, Volvo, Wastequip and WM, among others, presented the newest products and solutions and launched innovations like carts, balers and containers, truck bodies, waste-to-energy technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions and services. Live demonstrations in the expo hall provided a close-up look at how tools are reducing emissions and enhancing material recovery. Routeware demonstrated its integrated all-in-one platform, Routeware Elements, built for private haulers, roll-off operators, liquid waste and site service companies. New products advancing the sector focused on machine learning, business service platforms and equipment management. Machinex introduced an online Gateway, to enhance access to parts; Kenworth showcased two new Class 8 vocational trucks; Caterpillar introduced its new Collision Warning System for medium wheel loaders and Command for Loading technology with remote control capabilities; and Battle Motors debuted Fortris AI, a proprietary data formulated engine designed to transform operational efficiency and lower costs in the transportation industry. More than 100 exhibitors attended for the first time, including Ecobat, GrayMar Environmental, Max Tracking Solutions, Mill, Rentec, SmithCo Side Dump Trailers, Visia and Wastaway, bringing the latest developments to the forefront of the industry. Special events inside the expo hall included the Waste360 TRASHION Show, highlighting 11 designers from across the country competing to produce top recycled fashion trends in a runway style showcase. Seattle-based designer, Nancy Watts, was awarded the Best in Show top prize for the design "Garden of Transparencies", made from 95% recycled materials. Andrea Valentina Jáuregui was awarded Runner Up for the design "Metamorphosis", and Emily Cox rounded the winners with the Fan Favorite selection for the design "Pop Muzik Muse". Professionals from across the sector were honored for leadership and passion in multiple awards celebrations. The Women who Inspire Award, presented by Wastequip, and the Waste360 40 Under 40 Award, supported by GFL Environmental, celebrate and recognize the rising stars of the waste management industry, and the women in the waste and recycling industry who showcase significant positive influence and empowerment. Launched in 1995, the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) again hosted its Annual Charitable Auction & Silent Auction at WasteExpo, auctioning top-of-the-line products like garbage carts, truck tires and front loaders, as well as unique entertainment, dining and sporting experiences. Participants raised more than $4 million to support essential scholarships to master's and doctoral waste management research and education and university-led projects, including landfill emissions measurement, improved recycling, better composting and the conversion of waste to energy and fuel. The 2025 educational program expansion introduced comprehensive Public Sector components, featuring an in-depth Public Sector Spotlight dedicated to smart waste management and operational efficiency in government services. All-new education roundtables created dynamic, small group learning environments, where attendees could benefit from direct interaction with subject matter experts and peers. Through its complete marketplace, comprehensive technology displays and industry collaboration, WasteExpo creates lasting solutions for efficient practices, creating a sustainable future. "WasteExpo's continued impact reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional value to the waste, recycling and organics community," shares Marc Acampora, Market Leader of WasteExpo. "As we evolve the event, we are focused on delivering even greater value, through deeper engagement, smarter resources and stronger and more diverse platforms to help this industry connect, grow and lead meaningful change." In partnership with the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), we are further enhancing the way we serve the waste industry by moving WasteExpo to a biennial format and introducing The Waste Summit in alternate years, starting in 2026. The latter will be a new executive-level gathering focused on leadership, policy and future-shaping industry discussions, providing a new platform for forward thinking, advanced planning, inspiration and learning, ensuring the community remains continuously connected. This change will also enable us to make each edition of WasteExpo bigger and more impactful for the industry, with greater levels of innovation and better alignment to product life cycles. Additionally, the partnership with EREF continues through the Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS), returning to California, February 22-25, 2026, in Indian Wells, highlighting breakthrough research and technical innovations. WasteExpo remains fully committed to the long-term strength, growth and success of the Waste industry, and is confident providing these complementary platforms will enable even more impactful opportunities to connect, grow and lead each year. WasteExpo will return to Las Vegas, May 3-6, 2027. For more information and to stay up to date with WasteExpo announcements, please visit For industry news and announcements, please visit the leading information, event, commerce and education provider to the solid waste, recycling, organics and sustainable communities. About WasteExpo WasteExpo has been the premier event in North America for waste, recycling and organics professionals from both the private and public sectors for over 50 years. Featuring an interactive conference program covering critical industry topics and an Exhibit Hall showcasing more than 600 exhibitors, WasteExpo provides industry leaders with insights, solutions and connections. The event is co-located with the Waste360 Investor Summit, the Waste360 Healthcare Waste Conference and the Waste360 Sustainability Talks. About Informa MarketsInforma Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. The portfolio comprises more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Engineering, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. The company provides customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world's leading exhibitions organizer, it brings a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive year-round. For more information, visit Media Contact Infrastructure and Construction PRConstructionPR@ SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hydrogen-fueled refuse trucks are ‘just a matter of when,' manufacturers say
This story was originally published on Waste Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Waste Dive newsletter. Truck manufacturers still see a future for hydrogen-powered refuse vehicles despite the recent dissolution of Hyzon, which ran the first U.S. pilot for such vehicles last year. Manufacturers think waste and recycling haulers are a natural fit for the technology, given their proven ability in recent years to pivot to new fuel types like compressed natural gas. "This industry works very well at adapting to infrastructure," Tyler Ohlmansiek, director of e-mobility sales at Mack Trucks, said during a panel at WasteExpo on May 7. "That's a leg up for hydrogen in the waste and recycling space." Hyzon partnered with manufacturer New Way Trucks to deliver the first hydrogen fuel cell-powered refuse hauling vehicle in 2024, and it had begun receiving orders for the model. Recology, GreenWaste and other waste companies conducted pilots of the truck, and found that it was performing as well as diesel-powered trucks in certain applications. That early success wasn't enough to keep Hyzon afloat, however. Its board of directors voted to liquidate and dissolve the company in December, and an auction for its assets remains ongoing. Despite Hyzon's demise, New Way has still received interest in hydrogen fuel cell refuse trucks and is evaluating ways to continue in the space, said Marc de Smidt, senior director of engineering at New Way. That may include partnering with an entity that takes over the defunct company's assets or partnering with another fuel cell manufacturer. "We're working on getting something out there," de Smidt said. Other manufacturers are dipping their toe into the space as well, though mostly for heavy-duty applications beyond waste and recycling hauling. Kenworth was set to begin production this year on a hydrogen fuel cell truck jointly developed by Paccar and Toyota, but that's now delayed. Hyundai has been manufacturing a heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicle for several years, and recently debuted an updated model at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in California. Volvo Group and Daimler also plan to bring a hydrogen fuel cell truck to market this decade through a partnership. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks face a shifting policy landscape, as the Trump administration has attempted to cut funding for a hydrogen research hub program created during the Biden administration. Critics have also attempted to repeal the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, first created by California and later adopted by other states. They say the rule's timeline to transition manufacturers away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles is aggressive and unrealistic given the availability and performance of alternatives. Nevertheless, manufacturers are still eager to make hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles work, in part because sustainability-minded customers are demanding them, said Mitesh Naik, director of product planning and strategy for Peterbilt Motors, a subsidiary of Paccar. 'Despite what happens with regulations, I know two things. Number one: We'll be ready. ... And number two: There's still a lot of ESG-minded customers,' said Naik. 'It's not a matter of if, it's just a matter of when.' The sector's adoption of battery-electric vehicles has also been growing, albeit slowly. Last year, 19 new battery-electric refuse vehicles were registered, according to an industry-sponsored report. That number is expected to grow, in part becauselast year Republic Services ordered 100 electric McNeilus Volterra waste and recycling vehicles from Oshkosh Corp. Proponents of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles note the technology can be lighter than the battery packs needed for battery electric-powered heavy-duty vehicles. That means hydrogen trucks may be a better drop-in replacement for diesel trucks on more hauling routes. One of the key challenges to wider hydrogen truck adoption will be fueling infrastructure, panelists said. As fleets evolve, operators will have to decide where and how they deploy permanent hydrogen fueling stations, often working with third-party partners. In some cases, fleet operators could position a hydrogen fuel tank on their lots. That could be a quicker interim move to transition fleets, especially given the delays with gas and power utility interconnections that have caused setbacks for other fuel types, said Peterbilt's Naik. "OEMs can very quickly produce a truck, deliver a truck to a great partner and customer. But oftentimes the infrastructure is the missing item," he said. Jim Mendoza, director of equipment, procurement and maintenance for Recology, said haulers are looking for a "one-to-one" replacement for diesel-powered trucks, but "the reality is we may not get to one-to-one." Instead, he envisions a mixed fleet with some hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles, some battery-electric and some internal combustion-powered trucks. Even so, Mendoza said there are potential upsides beyond the emissions savings touted by proponents of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. He said the trucks could also be a recruitment tool for haulers, noting Recology drivers didn't go home smelling like exhaust after the hydrogen fuel cell pilot, making the job more pleasant. "We don't have that influx of drivers anymore. We have to go shop for them and it's very difficult," Mendoza said. "This is maybe a good story for them.' Disclosure: Informa, which owns a controlling stake in Informa TechTarget, the publisher behind Waste Dive, is also the owner of WasteExpo. Informa has no influence over Waste Dive's coverage. Recommended Reading Hyzon lays off workers, plans to liquidate business Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Waste Harmonics Keter looks for growth opportunities after merger
This story was originally published on Waste Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Waste Dive newsletter. Digital waste services company Waste Harmonics Keter is aiming to generate 'double-digit growth' this year following a C-suite refresh. The company has largely completed its integration under private equity backer TPG Growth, which previously backed Keter before that company merged with Waste Harmonics in 2023. Chief Commercial Officer Stephen Mohan joined CEO Bob Boucher at Waste Harmonics Keter in November. Mohan previously held senior roles at Office Depot, XPO Logistics and Republic Services, where he worked with Boucher. Boucher, who previously led Win Waste, became CEO of Waste Harmonics Keter in May 2024. 'I think we're positioning ourselves very strongly to provide a real impact into the market,' Mohan said in an interview at WasteExpo in Las Vegas. Waste Harmonics Keter offers a range of technology and service offerings connecting clients with haulers and other waste and recycling services. Waste Harmonics was previously backed by another private equity group, Arcapita, which sold its full stake as part of the deal in 2023. The newly merged company has an estimated 750 customers across 70,000 locations. Mohan said the integration of Waste Harmonics and Keter was done 'thoughtfully, intentionally,' over the past year and a half. The founders of both companies remain on the combined company's board, and the new executive team continues to find opportunities for synergies, he said. That includes streamlining back office operations. The field outreach team employed by Keter in the retail industry has also proven to be an asset for the industrial business traditionally pursued by Waste Harmonics, according to Mohan. 'We didn't find a lot of cannibalization in the business, we found that what we could offer became stronger,' he said. The company's headcount currently stands at about 350 people. It recently announced a layoff of 66 people at its Victor, New York, office. Mohan said that was part of the combined company rightsizing its office footprint — it just opened a new headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, where Keter was historically based. Mohan expects headcount could still grow this year despite that change, with some roles potentially moving to other locations. To spur that growth, Waste Harmonics Keter is looking at both internal and external levers. While the company has been in an integration mode for some time, 'I think you'll see probably our appetite for M&A will grow,' Mohan said. Prior to its merger with Keter, Waste Harmonics had been on an acquisitive streak, buying companies such as the Talismark Group, Contelligent and Meridian Alliance Partners. Mohan said that, like the broader industry has reported, volumes were slightly flat to start the year, with a pickup in March and April. But he anticipates organic growth from new business will fuel Waste Harmonics Keter moving forward. The combined company has seen particular success in the transportation and logistics, retail and food and grocery industries, according to Mohan. He acknowledged the market for waste brokers has been choppy in recent years, as companies like Rubicon and Quest. have announced financial difficulties. But he believes appetite for a high-technology service provider remains strong. He said having a nationwide footprint, an ability to do quality sustainability reporting and insight into rightsizing clients' waste hauling networks are all selling points today. 'We actually see more and more companies move to or interested in a managed service company, but with higher expectations,' he said. Recommended Reading Keter Environmental set to merge with Waste Harmonics in latest broker deal Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
