Summer often brings a shift in customer habits, industry demands and operational challenges for businesses. Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, manufacturing, or healthcare, waste streams tend to change with the seasons. 

For many industries, summer signals an increase in certain types of waste—from food and packaging to construction debris and product returns. To remain sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective, businesses must adopt circular economy principles tailored to these seasonal trends.

Here, we’ll explore summer waste realities across eight key industries and offer actionable tips to help your business manage waste smarter while staying sustainable all summer long and beyond.

Understanding Seasonal Variations in Waste

Seasonal trends in waste streams arise from shifts in consumer behaviors and industry practices. Summer sees increased outdoor events, peak tourism, construction surges, and warm-weather dining. These trends generate specific waste challenges unique to each industry:

• Automotive sees higher vehicle and tire servicing needs as more people hit the road for vacations.
• Transportation/Logistics face challenges with packaging waste from surges in summer shipments.
• Hospitality/Restaurants encounter food waste spikes amid busier outdoor dining seasons.
• Retail generates additional packaging waste from sales of summer seasonal goods.
• Grocery experiences higher demand for seasonal produce, which increases spoilage risks.
• Manufacturing/Construction accelerate activities due to optimal weather, producing more operational waste.
• Healthcare contends with elevated patient volumes (e.g., heat-related illnesses), resulting in more medical waste.

Being proactive during the summer months offers an opportunity to “close the loop” by designing waste streams to be reused, composted or recycled, reducing environmental impact and optimizing costs.

Practical Steps for All Businesses to Close the Loop

No matter your industry, the following steps can help ensure your waste strategy aligns with circular economy principles this summer:

1. Audit Your Waste Streams.
   Identify what types of waste your facility generates most during the summer and evaluate opportunities for reduction, reuse and recycling.
2. Engage Employees.
   Train staff to follow waste-sorting protocols and encourage creative input on waste-reduction processes. It takes a sustainable ecosystem to move the needle.
3. Collaborate with Vendors.
   Work with suppliers who share your sustainability goals, such as those offering reusable shipping materials or eco-friendly products. Or, better yet, if you work with a waste handling company, there’s a strong chance they are connected with a large network of vendors to identify which vendors are best aligned with your goals and values.
4. Use Technology.
   Implement waste tracking systems to monitor volumes over time and assess the effectiveness of your waste strategies. Know which tech is best suited for your company, so you avoid possibly taking on a new challenge.
5. Educate Consumers.
   Build customer loyalty by showcasing your waste-reduction initiatives. Provide incentives for sustainable behaviors, like discounts for reusable containers or participation in recycling programs.
6. Set Measurable Goals.
   Define success with key metrics (e.g., “reduce food waste by 30%”) and communicate progress transparently.

The Benefits of Sustainability All Season Long

Adopting a circular economy mindset brings numerous advantages. By reducing waste, businesses save on disposal costs, improve efficiency and cultivate customer goodwill. Aligning waste strategies with summer demand patterns ensures your operations remain agile and ready to adapt to other seasonal shifts.

Summer may come with its challenges, but it’s also ripe with opportunities. By preparing now and rethinking waste and recycling management, your business can set the stage for sustainable practices that will carry forward into autumn and beyond. Closing the loop isn’t just about cutting waste; it’s about creating a thriving, connected system where resources are always reused and valued. Will your business take the first step?

The Waste Expo 2025 in Las Vegas continues to illuminate the road ahead for the recycling, environmental services and circular economy industries. From groundbreaking technologies to strategic conversations, the event provided a platform to explore the innovations shaping the future. 

At Quest, our team attended with a mission to stay ahead of emerging trends, strengthen key relationships and uncover tools to better serve our clients. Here are the highlights from our experience and what they mean for the evolving landscape.

1. Strengthening Vendor Partnerships

A key theme of this year’s Waste Expo was the evolving role of vendors. Rather than being seen as traditional service providers, vendors are pivoting to create more value through services like tailored site analyses and waste audits. These enhanced collaborations aim to optimize operations, reduce costs and deliver better outcomes for businesses. For Quest, this represents an opportunity to foster stronger, multi-level relationships that not only solve challenges but create greater long-term value for our clients.

Learn more about how consolidating vendors can simplify operations and enhance efficiency in our detailed guide here.

2. Spotlight on Electric Vehicles (EVs)

The shift toward electric vehicle fleets stole the spotlight at this year’s Expo. EVs promise lower emissions and enhanced operational efficiency, marking a significant transition from traditional fleet technologies. The wide display of EV trucks and advanced charging systems felt like a glimpse into the future, reaffirming our industry’s commitment to sustainable progress. At Quest, we’re already exploring how these developments can integrate into our offerings to help clients meet their environmental goals.

3. Innovation in Equipment Design

This year also showcased fresh innovations aimed at tackling real-world challenges. For example, new open-top container designs featuring dual-directional doors were unveiled, offering flexibility and efficiency in loading and unloading. These kinds of practical advancements are what enable businesses to streamline processes and reduce bottlenecks. Seeing such solutions firsthand helps Quest identify which technologies align with the needs of our clients.

4. Expanding Markets, Expanding Opportunities

Another valuable takeaway was the industry’s focus on expanding into underserved markets. Vendors are exploring ways to grow their footprints, creating competitive dynamics that in turn present opportunities for clients to benefit from better cost structures and service efficiencies. These expansions also signal a promising shift in addressing challenges for businesses operating in regions with limited service options.

5. Advanced Recycling Techniques

Seeing advancements in recycling technology was particularly exciting. Vendors unveiled processes to clean and separate contaminated plastics, enabling these materials to be reused by their original generators. These innovative techniques not only address sustainability goals but also solve operational issues for businesses striving to reduce landfill contributions. Quest is committed to leveraging these innovations to help clients improve recycling rates and achieve their environmental objectives.

6. Adapting to Industry Evolution

The Expo reflected an industry that never stops evolving. From the increasing adoption of EVs to thoughtful discussions around market shifts, the pace of change is consistent and impactful. The announcement of a new, every-other-year format for Waste Expo events signals a potential shift in how these gatherings are structured. Despite these changes, the Expo remains a key opportunity to stay informed, exchange ideas and elevate conversations that push the industry forward.

Sphere is a music and entertainment arena in Paradise, Nevada, United States, east of the Las Vegas Strip.

The Quest Perspective

At Quest, we view events like Waste Expo as essential opportunities to expand our knowledge and deepen our connections. This is how we continue to lead in offering dynamic solutions and insights that meet the unique challenges of the businesses we work with. For us, learning about cutting-edge innovations and fostering vendor relationships isn’t just about keeping up with the industry. It’s about anticipating the needs of our clients and proactively addressing them with expertise and creativity.

By staying at the frontier of industry trends, we ensure that we’re not only a trusted partner but a driver of change in delivering sustainable progress for our clients and their communities.

Our Quest team had the privilege of meeting with valued vendor partners and forging new connections at Waste Expo 2025, focusing on growth opportunities and collaborative market planning.

About Quest

Quest Resource Management Group helps businesses reduce their environmental impact through tailored recycling programs, sustainable solutions and actionable insights. Our focus on innovation and collaboration empowers our clients to meet their diversion goals while driving efficiency and long-lasting value.

Ah, Denver in April. Crisp mountain air, stunning views and the electric energy of ConnexFM 2025. It was an action-packed event filled with inspiring conversations, valuable insights and a collective focus on shaping the future of facilities management. 

For those of us in the waste and recycling industry, the conference underscored some powerful trends and priorities that can drive meaningful change for businesses everywhere.

Here’s a look at the key takeaways and big ideas that emerged during the event.

1. Back to Basics: Simplicity is Key

Amid all the buzzwords and cutting-edge solutions, one clear theme rose to the top at ConnexFM this year: simplify, simplify, simplify. Businesses are dealing with complex challenges, but some of the most impactful solutions come from mastering the fundamentals.

• Streamlining processes like invoice management and contract oversight was a major talking point. These simple efficiencies save headaches and, more importantly, time and money.
• Focusing on “right-sizing” services seasonally can help businesses adapt to their actual needs, ensuring they’re not overpaying or underprepared.

By cutting through the noise and focusing on the basics, businesses can build a solid foundation that supports long-term sustainability and growth.

2. Advocating for Sustainability (While Managing Costs Effectively)

The economy may be uncertain, but a commitment to sustainability is non-negotiable. At the conference, it became clear that decision-makers are increasingly looking for ways to align their waste and recycling programs with their organizational goals while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

• The ability to secure services at market rates or better is valuable—but it’s about more than just cost. Businesses also want clear metrics that show progress toward sustainability initiatives.
• ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals are top of mind, and companies want partners who can help measure and achieve them thoughtfully.

This balance between financial discipline and eco-consciousness resonated throughout ConnexFM, showing that businesses don’t have to choose between savings and sustainability.

3. One Point of Contact, Infinite Benefits

The complexity of managing waste and recycling operations across multiple locations is a daily headache for facility managers. ConnexFM highlighted the growing demand for a simpler, smarter way to manage it all.

• The value of having one point of contact caught the attention of many attendees. Imagine consolidating 67 phone calls, vendor clashes and scattered invoices into a single managed solution. Yes, it’s possible. And yes, it’s a game-changer.
• Companies are realizing how much time they’ve been wasting by juggling multiple vendors. By partnering with a single holistic service provider, they can save time and focus on what really matters.

Whether it’s hazardous waste, unique sustainability initiatives, or large-scale recycling programs, having a single partner simplifies operations and ensures accountability.

4. The Role of Technology in Smarter Decisions

A topic that turned heads (and even dropped jaws at times) was the role of technology. Data and digital tools not only streamline reporting but also offer actionable insights that help businesses optimize their waste and recycling programs.

• Attendees expressed frustration around accessing useful data; many still rely on manual processes like cross-referencing invoices and updating spreadsheets. Enter smart portals.
• An effective portal consolidates transaction data, tracks tonnage and diversion rates, and spits it out into readable, exportable reports. It saves hours of work and makes goal tracking easier.

Technology doesn’t just replace old methods; it enables businesses to see their operations more clearly and make better, faster decisions.

5. Expertise That Actually Makes a Difference

Throughout the event, one concern echoed repeatedly from attendees: waste and recycling often feel like an afterthought in the grand scheme of facilities management. It’s lumped into “expenses” rather than viewed as an opportunity to drive value. But when the right expertise steps in, everything changes.

• Specialized knowledge matters. Whether it’s handling hazardous materials, managing wastewater at car washes, or working with unique commodities, businesses need trusted advisors who understand the ins and outs of their industry.
• Partnering with experts who’ve been in the trenches offers peace of mind and ensures every program is tailored and optimized for success.

These conversations reminded us why it’s so critical to focus not just on the what but the how. When organizations work with the right team to bring industry-specific insight to the table, they unlock efficiencies they didn’t even know were possible.

6. Integration, Collaboration and Accountability

One final key theme from ConnexFM was the growing demand for seamlessly integrated services. Facility managers don’t just want to fix problems; they want to be able to anticipate them, solve them proactively, and get the credit for a job well done.

• Integrated solutions allow managers to monitor efficiencies across open markets and franchise areas without the logistical headaches.
• A single provider creates transparency, tracks key KPIs, negotiates contracts and delivers consolidated billing for ultimate accountability.

This level of integration gives managers the tools to succeed while providing the flexibility to focus on larger strategic goals.

Looking Ahead

ConnexFM 2025 was a powerful reminder of what facilities management can achieve when innovation meets practicality. For us at Quest, it’s clear that businesses want more than a vendor; they want a proactive partner with a single call, a straightforward plan and a portfolio of expertise to tackle even the messiest challenges.

By harnessing the power of simplicity, technology, sustainability and collaboration, we have the chance to not just meet expectations—but exceed them.

Here’s to carrying these lessons forward and helping businesses work smarter, save time and take care of the planet, one streamlined solution at a time. We’ll see you at ConnexFM 2026!

Amid the growing demand for implementing lasting changes in businesses, a company must consider: Of all the sustainability efforts geared towards attaining zero waste, which ones are the quickest, most attainable, most impactful, and yield visible results at no expense? Some industries prove it’s possible. But what does that mean for other industries?

First, let’s review an industry success story. This story is a testament to the fact that achieving zero waste with no added cost is not just a dream, but a reality. By learning from these success stories, we can go through the reality checks within other industries and find out where a company like yours should start.

Industry Case Study: Grocery Achieves Zero Waste at Cost Neutral for Food/Packaging Waste

The food and grocery industry have successfully achieved zero waste for food and packaging at no extra cost. For instance, one of Quest’s major grocery clients uses Quest Progranics® to transform its unsold organic products into compost for farms and gardens. Additionally, renewable energy can be produced from non-organic food materials and packaging, reducing methane emissions and creating a closed-loop process.

Implementing a waste diversion process like this not only ensures that nothing goes to the landfill but also improves a store’s operational efficiency. Importantly, it does so while keeping costs neutral, or even better. This example demonstrates that taking environmentally friendly actions doesn’t have to be a financial burden.

For more information on the organic waste-to-compost process and the valuable insights that can be applied across different markets, you can click here.

Doing the right thing doesn’t have to sting the bottom line!

Industry Possibilities: How Can YOU Achieve Zero Waste at No Expense?

To achieve zero waste, it’s essential to identify which materials hold value. This requires businesses to conduct a waste analysis.

By conducting a waste analysis, a company can: 

• Understand an operation’s ins and outs
• Identify the areas that generate the most waste
• Determine the necessary changes to achieve zero waste

Once the analysis is complete, businesses can use data to make informed decisions. This is especially effective when working with a data management company. Regardless of the industry, the first step toward achieving zero waste at no additional cost is to measure and assess the waste produced.

Reality Check: When starting a new program, it usually requires spending some money before reaching a point where you start saving or stop spending extra money. This is similar to getting a membership at a warehouse club store or a waterpark for the summer; there’s an initial cost. However, after using it for a while, you might notice that you’re saving more money than you’re spending.

So, is it possible to achieve cost neutrality? Absolutely, but it requires commitment. After conducting a waste analysis and establishing a system, it’s important to evaluate the results and make necessary adjustments to reach zero waste goals. This process starts with a dedication to meeting customer demands and preserving natural resources. Your commitment is essential to achieving cost neutrality and sustainability.

Every business is unique, and we recognize that. However, waste analysis is a versatile tool that can lead to customized solutions to suit any business, regardless of its nature or operations. It’s a straightforward and efficient method to achieve zero waste, and it can pave the way to cost neutrality for your business.

We invite you to take the first step towards a more sustainable future by exploring various industry approaches to sustainability on Quest’s website. Together, we can make a difference!

About Quest: Quest is a national waste and recycling service provider that enables larger businesses to excel in achieving their environmental and sustainability goals and responsibilities. Quest delivers focused expertise across multiple industry sectors to build single-source, client-specific solutions that generate quantifiable business and sustainability results. Addressing a wide variety of waste streams and recyclables, Quest provides information and data that tracks and reports the environmental results of Quest’s services, gives actionable data to improve business operations, and enables Quest’s clients to excel in their business and sustainability responsibilities.

Latest Trends & Strategies in Bettering Your Business’s Tomorrow

Earlier this month, the South by Southwest festival and conference in Austin, Texas, hosted several sessions focused on the growing concern for our planet and its resources. These sessions aimed to educate attendees about the need to transition from traditional energy sources to cleaner options and to encourage them to take action toward creating a sustainable future for their companies.

The panels, led by prominent industry leaders and government officials, discussed a range of topics, including the business value of sustainability and the integration of electric vehicles into fleets. They also emphasized the importance of reducing waste and utilizing resources more efficiently.

If you’re an executive interested in improving your company’s efficiency while taking steps toward sustainability, you may find it helpful to review the key takeaways from the sustainability-centered panels that took place at SXSW.

The “Go Green to Make Green” SXSW 2024 Panel, featuring experts (L-R) Stafford Sheehan, Kate Sixt, Chris Kanik and Marta Pazos. Photo by Quest RMG.

Business Value of Sustainability: “Go Green to Make Green” Panel

Many people believe that sustainability and business value are conflicting goals. But in reality, companies from various industries are embracing sustainable and eco-friendly procedures and technologies to cut costs, enhance competitiveness, and boost profitability. 

The “Go Green to Make Green” panel highlighted how businesses can become more sustainable and gain a competitive advantage.

Here are the takeaways from the panel:

• What does sustainability really mean?

• • • Chris Kanik, a renowned figure in the sustainability field and the founder of Smart Cups, shared his perspective. He emphasized that sustainability is not a mere buzzword or a popular trend but a crucial element in the preservation of life and resources.
    • Stafford Sheehan, a seasoned chief technology officer and co-founder at Air Company, offered practical advice. He suggested that businesses approach sustainability by considering operational, environmental, and economic aspects. He recommends aiming for at least two out of three, but ideally, all three, making it a feasible and effective strategy.

• How can you make sustainability profitable?

• • Katie Sixt, a leading expert in biotechnology and a Principal Director at the Pentagon, highlighted the potential benefits of her strategy. She pointed out that waste management is a significant issue and recommended focusing on waste reclamation. This approach not only promotes sustainability but also creates new profit opportunities, a win-win situation for businesses.
  • Kanik stressed the importance of marketing sustainability. However, companies need to be careful of greenwashing. They must get accurate data and consider the complete life cycle of a product to determine its total environmental impact. This process takes time, and companies must be diligent and conservative in their reporting and messaging to minimize legal risks. Making hasty decisions without proper analysis can lead to new problems that require additional solutions.

The “EVs: A Big Bet Needing Big Data” SXSW 2024 Panel, featuring experts (L-R) Reid ‘Rusty’ Heffner, Ann Xu, and Dr. Rachael Nealer. Photo by Quest RMG.

Future of EVs: “A Big Bet Needing Big Data” Panel

States, the federal government, and industry have invested billions of dollars in electric vehicles, betting on the idea that American EV adoption will be massive and play a critical role in protecting the planet’s future. However, this is not a guaranteed success. 

Big data can make it a sure bet, and it must be utilized. Sharing data can ensure that charging stations are in the right locations for fleets, supply chains are prepared, and the promised reduction in emissions is achieved. Governments must leverage big data if they want EVs to be successful.

Here are the takeaways from the panel:

• The investment of billions of dollars in EVs by the federal government, states, and industries is a significant milestone. In 2023, 1.5 million plug-in vehicles were sold. However, the panel emphasized that data sharing is crucial to ensure strategically placed charging stations, prepared supply chains, and reduced emissions. The success of EVs depends on the effective utilization of data.
• Planning is critical when building out an EV-charging network to transition fleets. The panel emphasized that data and reporting play a pivotal role in this process, as they can determine whether EVs will support the routes businesses need.

The “Go Green to Make Green” SXSW 2024 Panel, featuring experts (L-R) Angie Crone, Dr. Lara Ramdin, Alexandria Coari and Ben Mand. Photo by Quest RMG.

From Waste to Gold: “Transforming Food Waste into Profits” Panel

It is estimated that about 182 billion pounds of food are thrown away every year in the United States. This amounts to approximately 149 billion meals and over $444 billion of wasted resources. This not only has a negative impact on the environment but also leads to potential losses for businesses.

This session discussed different approaches to reducing food waste and creating impactful products. The experts shared various methods such as making use of more of the harvest, upcycling food and ingredients, and collaborating with businesses and the government to minimize food waste. 

Here are the takeaways from the panel:

• 30%-40% of all food produced goes unsold/uneaten each year in the U.S. Can you imagine eating dinner and immediately throwing a third of it away each time? 
• 8%-10% of our global climate emissions comes from this food waste.
• Wasted fruit could be turned into nutritious powders or used to make compost (like Quest Proganics®). Mountains of valuable ingredients exist in spoiled and rejected fruit that can be reused elsewhere – why toss it? 
• Waste valorization (backed by data) is in the top 10 waste solutions. A life cycle analysis can determine the impact potential.

To improve operational efficiency, business leaders like you can collaborate with others who can gather the data you need to reach a sustainable operation. They can also help you to conserve resources, reuse/recycle, and manage waste properly. 

If you need guidance on your journey, consider partnering with a service provider whose business goals align with yours. Let the above learnings (and all of what we share each month in our leadership column) guide you toward bettering your business’ tomorrow.

While Barbie and Oppenheimer are the talk of the town regarding the summer movie season, don’t let the smaller ones with valuable takeaways for business owners fall under the radar.

One such film is the newly-released documentary Matter Out of Place, a multi-part study of how humankind around the globe handles its waste. Rather than engage viewers with the typical talking-heads approach or voice narration, this work primarily consists of long, static shots sans music or commentary. The images speak for themselves, without any true agenda other than capturing the reality of waste and how it’s managed or ignored.

Review our collected insights below to see if they bring awareness or spark new ideas for your company’s operations and programs.

A scene in ‘Matter Out of Place’ showing a town disposing of their waste in a landfill. Courtesy of © Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion GmbH.

Waste: Keep in Sight, Keep in Mind

Early in Matter Out of Place, there’s a moment when the adage “out of sight, out of mind” is uttered by a landfill researcher as an excavator digs into a neighborhood field. During the long take, we witness a seemingly harmless, stark area reveal massive amounts of waste buried just a few feet under its surface. Tires, oil cans, and glass accompany the soil used for agricultural purposes, such as growing potatoes; thus, bringing anything but comfort when thinking about where food manufacturers and grocery stores get their supplies.

“Out of sight, out of mind” often becomes the mentality when businesses handle and dispose of their waste: “If it’s swept under the rug, it’s not a problem.” The reality is it becomes a problem for later or someone else. The belief that productivity is more achievable if waste is entirely off the board rather than managed is damaging – as the film further illustrates when it examines how cultures as disparate as Albania, the Maldives, Nepal, and Switzerland dispose of their waste.

A scene in ‘Matter Out of Place’ showing the lengthy process for disposing of waste in a snowy location. A garbage truck must take a ski lift up and down the mountain on waste haul days. Courtesy of © Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion GmbH.

What Are the Bad Habits Visible in Matter Out of Place’s Stillness?

• Riverbanks – The film’s opening image is a majestic view of snowy mountains and water streams. The subsequent image is a close-up of the riverbanks populated with bottles, plastic bags, and various other environmentally harmful items.
• Beach Resorts – This time, compared to the riverbank sequence, the two shots are flipped with the white sands beach location starting on a tighter framing to capture the beauty of a private beach. The subsequent image is of the framing widened to show waste on the shoreline, just outside the resort.
• Mountains – This particular area’s town transfers all its waste to a dumping ground halfway up a mountain. It’s an open trash land that’s free to allow rainwater to wash bacteria and other hazardous substances down the mountainside to the city and wildlife populations below.

Framing Reality: Each location examined in the film displays the “out of mind, out of sight” behavior. It all comes down to how the environments in cities, parks or at businesses are framed. A wide shot of the mountains is a scenic picture, but when narrowing the view to look at the details, the truth is revealed.

Same with the beach resort sequence in the film: the camera backs up to reveal the most cared about parts of the beach are the most profitable ones. Who’s to say that those surrounding regions won’t push the animals and plant life out that keeps the “profitable” areas thriving? You can’t slap a Band-Aid on and expect it to hold. Eventually, the levee will break, and the consequences will be painful.

A scene in ‘Matter Out of Place’ showing volunteers working together to collect all waste following a festival event. Courtesy of © Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion GmbH.

Our Suggestion: How the problem relates to companies (like yours) is electing only to treat the pain points, not the entire system. There’s an operational ecosystem with a workplace, and waste plays a monumental role. Suppose an enterprise evaluates what it takes in, sells, and disposes of. In that case, it can develop an efficient flow that can focus better on storefront operations while reaching a level of sustainability that aligns with customer demands, environmental needs, and state/local requirements.

Why purchase an item packaged with environmentally harmful material that may take up more space on the floor (with hefty shipping fees) and is more difficult to break down and dispose of? That’s added time, responsibilities, and (possibly) expenses. This is where a waste audit comes in to provide the information needed to plan, execute, and measure through reporting and tracking.

Efficiency isn’t always achieved through removal. By merely removing waste and adding it to a landfill (or any other disposal forms, as featured in the documentary), it’s taking away from space that could be used for something else while also causing more resources to be collected to make new products. It throws ecosystems off balance and could set off chain reactions.

If more businesses familiarize themselves with their waste processes (like Matter Out of Place details with its extended stretches of various locations disposing of waste), it may create the understanding to influence change, which, in turn, can provide a competitive edge.

While artificial intelligence is a hot topic lately, it’s not new. Since the mid-1960s, it has been studied, developed and utilized. Somehow the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey predicted how we’d use video conferencing to communicate and digital tech to manage complex processes and assist humans. But let’s hope our future doesn’t have a HAL 9000 to push our buttons.

Since then, AI tech has become more advanced and changed how we work, live and solve problems. But what was once developed as a tool to alleviate pain points across our industries is facing all kinds of criticism and concerns for creating new issues, especially with our environmental efforts.

Instead of drifting toward the next exciting, new services and products, let’s take a quick pause to evaluate the good, the bad and the ugly truths of AI’s influence on the environment and how we should deploy AI more wisely.

AI Truths: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Unfortunately, we are producing more and more waste every year. Overall, the U.S. produces 292 million tons of trash annually, with a daily average of four to five pounds per person. (Just imagine how much a business produces.) If only some kind of machine or system could do all the heavy lifting to get those numbers down.

Hold, please.

The Good: Thanks to AI, processing massive amounts of data and obtaining valuable information to improve any production system is possible. Through this process, users can identify patterns and trends to establish future predictions with a high degree of accuracy. Who wouldn’t want a more efficiently run business that stays ahead of the curve?

For example, in the case of waste and recycling, AI makes it possible to sort recyclable materials without running into as many risks. With growing fears of contamination and fluctuating ESG scores, AI presents itself as a useful tool to capture the data you need to be more sustainable and correctly separate materials like paper from aluminum or plastic. Such improvements create end markets and improve circularity for historically challenging materials.

The Bad: All that good said, for every figurative HAL that opens the pod bay doors to possibilities is another saying they cannot. Unfortunately, AI can also be used to keep environmentally harmful practices in power. The truth is AI is designed to effectively achieve its objective, whether that objective is harmful or helpful.

For instance, a company in the energy market could use AI to discover certain patterns and trends in oil and gas to maintain a low cost for fossil fuels. As a result, it could make it increasingly difficult for clean-energy companies to thrive. If AI is used in sustainability to solely generate economic benefits, it’s not getting its best use for the environment or society as a whole.

The Ugly: Too often, the true sustainability of processes are not analyzed. This is especially true of AI, as it’s mostly powered by fossil fuels (electrical grids run by coal and gas) and not low-carbon sources.

According to MIT Technology Review, training a single AI model can “emit as much carbon as five cars in their lifetimes.” Thinking about how a single data center might consume the amount of electricity equivalent to powering 50,000 homes is astonishing.

AI Future: How to Make More Sustainable Decisions

What can companies (like yours) do to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of AI while still driving forward with innovation? Here are a few suggestions:

Consider How Environmental Impact is Measured

Data and reporting are valuable aspects of moving forward. We need to improve carbon accounting by delivering quicker and more accurate data on carbon footprints and sustainability impacts. With a total waste analysis, companies can visualize and understand their missteps to spot opportunities for improvement.

Additionally, reporting can help society at large make more informed decisions while simultaneously allowing companies to measure their data against others’ findings.

Consider the Carbon Footprint of AI and How Data is Stored

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and have a complete comprehension of your practices, the tools you use and how big their carbon footprints are. Examine how and where data is stored. Some centers may be operating on more carbon-friendly platforms. The sustainability trail is endless. Curiosity and a passion for knowing and doing better can help move the environmental needle.

Consider a Third-Party Service Provider

There’s a scene in the film Moneyball starring Brad Pitt when a radio commenter character reviews this revolutionary approach to the game of baseball involving a team employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players. The radio commenter says you cannot solely approach from a view that uses computer tech. Games are won on the field with fundamental play — strategy. The film’s wisdom is that there needs to be a happy medium that embraces such technology while still allowing human decisions to influence the system.

The same should be said of AI utilization. Someone needs to interpret the data gathered to make informed decisions about what is most efficient and sustainable so as to not further hinder the environment but support and improve. Data-intensive techniques can be dangerous if not handled with care and used in a way that, while using more energy, can save more energy by providing more efficient solutions to an enterprise’s operation. A third-party waste and recycling provider can interpret data and help businesses like yours be tech-forward and sustainably-minded.

Waste Expo 2023 closed the curtain on another exciting event. On May 1-4 in New Orleans, North America’s largest solid waste, recycling, organics and sustainability trade show occurred. It allowed attendees to engage with some of the most inspiring creatives and thinkers while exploring a massive exhibit hall featuring the latest, innovative tech.

For ideas to jumpstart or shake up your sustainability efforts, review the below six great learnings from this year’s Waste Expo!

#1 – Waste is a Resource

Rather than view waste as a problem and a burden, see it as a valuable resource. It can be managed to produce sustainable benefits for a wide range of actions, taking the two ends of a product life cycle (namely resource sourcing at the start and disposal at the end) and linking them together into a closed loop. The materials in end-of-life products can be extracted and used as resource inputs to make new products, like beautiful artwork.

For example, during the Waste Expo session “Trash is Treasure,” speakers Billy Dufala (Recycled Artist in Residency, or RAIR) and Fern Gookin (Revolution Recovery) revealed a surprising and beneficial relationship between waste and art. Through their partnership, Dufala and Gookin give artists free access to discarded materials from construction and demolition sites. Rather than add to the landfill and the demand for new materials, the waste is used to support art projects.

It’s true: one person’s trash can be another person’s treasure. This organization’s work highlights the potential of waste and how art can inspire others to think more deeply about waste’s impact on our world. Consider the second life your discarded materials can have!

“Scope 3 emissions are defined as emissions caused by indirect impacts from your waste.” Image taken from “Scope 3 Emissions: How the Waste Industry Can Help Companies Achieve Emission Goals.”

#2 – Manufacturing Products for Continuous Use 

The “Scope 3 Emissions” session highlighted the importance of design, organization and right-sizing products. One story about a sports tournament especially kicked up intrigue.

At the tournament, reusable cups were made of polypropylene that could be cleaned, sanitized and used again. The cups had a color that matched the clearly labeled bins that were scattered around the event space. Even the bin liners were the same color as the cups to see that every step of the cycle was fulfilled.

A perfect marriage of circularity can be achieved through design and organization. Partner up with those whose values and goals align with yours!

#3 – Don’t Waste Opportunities

A theme across the Waste Expo talks was how much opportunity exists to be more sustainable. This was well exemplified during the “Technologies for Optimizing Organics Processing” session, a discussion centered on achieving carbon neutrality, with solar panels being a prominent topic among the four speakers.

During the final speaker’s presentation, it was noted how Alaska, a state known for its daylight patterns, isn’t taking complete advantage of solar farms to power its cities, like the other states and countries discussed.

Solar panels can help mitigate some of the nation’s highest energy costs and even allow people to sell excess solar energy back to the grid in exchange for credits. So, whether you’re under Alaska’s midnight sun or not, ask yourself: Are you seizing all the opportunities with your energy and waste?

“It’s surprising how many corporate and personal goals are set around increased recycling, but the explicit benefits aren’t that understood.” A slide from “Recoverable Materials: The Benefits and Potential Pitfalls on the Path to Circularity.”

#4 – Dethrone Convenience

Our decisions and behaviors are often based on convenience and situations. For example, at the “Recoverable Materials” session, speaker Bryan Staley (Environmental Research & Education Foundation) told a relatable story about a family vacation. When we’re at gas stations, we don’t see recycle bins. As passionate as we may be about being sustainable and recycling, we’re forced to have a car full of trash or put the items in the trash to go to the landfill.

As it relates to a business, some may find it logistically complex to access recycling facilities. Maybe the facilities are too far away and pushing forward could drive up costs and carbon emissions. This is why a proper waste analysis is critical. Maybe the solution is on the front end and not the back. Discover your path toward sustainability and efficiency, and don’t let convenience stay king.

#5 – Allow Sustainability to Steer

During a panel focused on how to utilize excess food and existing infrastructures and resources to address food waste and insecurity, LaToya Meaders (Collective Fare) spoke about how it’s important to look at things from a sustainability model and not so much from a profit margin.

“If you focus on creating a more sustainable restaurant model rather than driving profits, you can start to tackle other issues around food waste. You’ll find the clientele because they’ll want to be a part of something that’s much larger than them,” Meaders said.

#6 – Be Honest About Your Vision

During another panel about how to scale the reuse economy, Mike Newman (Returnity) spoke about the importance of honesty in our visions.

“We need to be very direct with ourselves. If we lose sight of that, that’s when a utopian vision comes up. [Companies] assume with some better marketing, [they’ll] get there. But the evidence doesn’t completely support that. We need to be open and honest about what works and what doesn’t to address the challenges productively.”

There are many factors to consider when handling waste, packaging materials and products, and what to communicate to consumers. Don’t be afraid to get the help you need to be more efficient!

If you found this information useful, be sure to follow Quest’s social media channels (LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook) to stay current with our articles and posts. And save the date for Waste Expo 2024 on May 6-9 in Las Vegas, NV!

About Us

Quest Resource Management Group (NASDAQ:QRHC) is a national provider of waste and recycling services that uses deep expertise to build single-source, client-specific solutions to address a wide variety of waste streams and recyclables across multiple industry sectors. Quest also provides information and data that tracks and reports the environmental results of Quest’s services and provides actionable data to improve business operations.

The Austin-Texas-based festival South by Southwest wrapped over the weekend. As much as the ten-day event celebrates music and film, it’s also a conference that connects the public with experts welcoming change through innovative technology and techniques – as exemplified by SXSW 2023’s sustainability-focused panels.

If you’re an executive who’s curious about what your company could be doing to be more sustainable or why now is a perfect time to rethink your approach, read the three takeaways below from this year’s SXSW environmental talks and films.

Have a Comprehensive View: “E-waste in the Transition to a Clean Economy” Panel

One of SXSW’s earliest panels was “E-waste in the Transition to a Clean Economy,” an hour-long discussion about how our world is undergoing a clean energy transition and how it will dramatically shift how our economy operates. 

We can prepare for more companies to announce or make plans to:

• Reduce emissions by way of gathering resources to make products or ship products to retailers/customers
• Increase efficiencies to better focus on their core business
• Create new jobs or partner up to assess and manage the ins and outs of their operations

Panelists Taylor Curtis (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Mark Petruzzi (SERI), Tom Romanoff (Bipartisan Policy Center) and Jesse Simons (SOLARCYCLE, via satellite) weren’t shy to bring up the negative and often overlooked dimension of this change: the creation of more waste from clean energy use. 

Through examples of solar photovoltaics, wind turbines and batteries, it’s clear how vital it is for companies to have a comprehensive view of their operations, especially when planning to go public with adopting a new technique and/or technology. What may be helping one area could be damaging another, allowing the “shiny” element to cloud the sustainable journey. 

Is this new tech or technique masquerading good when its process is more complicated and harmful than you may know? Knowledge is key, and an operational analysis can unlock the knowledge a company needs to make the proper steps toward their sustainability goals.

For more compelling insights from the “E-waste in the Transition to a Clean Economy” panel, see our LinkedIn post recap about having confidence in the secondary market and the importance of changing our language (“waste isn’t waste when it has value”).

“The EV Battery Supply Chain Paradox” SXSW Panel, featuring experts (L-R) Tanya Das, Kelly Fleming, Chris Doornbos and Juliet Akamboe. Photo by Quest RMG.

Charging Forward with Science: “The EV Battery Supply Chain Paradox” Panel

The SXSW panel “The EV Battery Supply Chain Paradox” drilled deep down the path to electrifying our transportation system and expanding the role of electric vehicle batteries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The discussion featured perspectives from Juliet Akamboe (Colorado School of Mines), Tanya Das (Bipartisan Policy Center), Chris Doornbos (E3 Lithium) and Kelly Fleming (Institute for Transportation Decarbonization), detailing that more EVs mean more mining and critical minerals being deployed at a large scale.

Tanya Das shared an alarming statistic: “an EV requires around 450 lbs. of minerals compared to the 100 lbs. in traditional gas cars.” This dichotomy highlights how EVs and mineral supply chains are linked. The global supply chains we rely on with these minerals face environmental practices, human rights practices and global security concerns.

As detailed in one of our recent blogs, there have been breakthroughs in the production process of EVs. For example, manufacturers, equipment suppliers and OEMs are looking into the tech used to extract and refine critical minerals – such as the work panelist Chris Doornbos does with E3 Lithium, using an innovative process that doesn’t require mining but science with its extraction. Instead of using machines to remove the elements needed to make an EV battery, this process chemically filters lithium and reinjects the unneeded materials back into the earth. It’s a closed-loop system we could all learn from, making it an environmentally and economically sufficient method.

For more about what your industry can learn from the EV process, read our blog from last year about the EV forecast.

“Wild Life” will have its broadcast debut on National Geographic Channel on May 25 and will stream May 26 on Disney+. Pictured: Kris Tompkins on her hike up the mountain range in Patagonia, Chile. Photo courtesy of Jimmy Chin.

Importance of Maintaining Ecosystems: “Wild Life” Documentary About Husband-and-Wife Conservationists 

In the film section, SXSW held the world premiere of the upcoming National Geographic documentary “Wild Life,” directed by Academy Award-winning filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (“Free Solo”).

The film presents a sweeping portrait of conservationists Kristine and Doug Tompkins, who fought to preserve one of the last truly wild places on earth.

While conservation work may seem like a far cry from your business, there’s a thread that holds it all together: the importance of maintaining ecosystems. 

In “Wild Life,” we watch the chronicling of the Tompkins family purchasing thousands of acres in Chile and Argentina, only to rewild it (put the animals pushed out due to lack of control) and give it back to the country as a national park. These efforts helped save endangered species and protect resources. Everything plays a role in an ecosystem, and this line of thinking is inspiring.

By working with others who help to conserve resources, reuse/recycle and manage waste properly, business leaders such as yourself can help sustain the environment for future generations and increase operational efficiency. 

May the above learnings charge you down the path toward sustainability. Should you need guidance along your journey, seek help from a service provider whose business goals align with yours.

These days, every industry is full of unexpected turns. But, with new federal/state/local regulations and growing customer demands, how does one expect to keep tabs on it all while maintaining a profitable business?

Want to know something? Waste secretly runs our businesses – and partnering with a reputable and experienced service provider can ensure that the tasks are managed most efficiently and responsibly, keeping your company compliant with regulations, and taking the next step toward long-term sustainability initiatives.

Learn how you can map out the beats and strategies to cut through all the noise by reviewing three of the most common questions regarding the future of the waste and recycling industry!

Navigating the Unknown

Question 1: How can you confidently run your organization when economic uncertainty, government regulations and growing customer demands cloud the future?

Simply Put: Waste will always be generated despite the economic environment or customers’ demands. Therefore, business leaders must put sustainability strategies and data at the top of their priority list.

With such efforts from a partner, you can:

• See the bigger picture
• Identify patterns
• Find new opportunities
• Measure to manage better
• Craft the right sustainability story (to avoid greenwashing)

Your Next Move: With the right partner and accessible data, they can act as a savior when times are tight or uncertain. They can offer cushion and empower businesses like yours to make decisions with the necessary sense of familiarity and comfort.

Research has demonstrated that companies with robust sustainability strategies backed by data tend to be more resilient and fared better than those focused solely on profit maximization when navigating the unknown.

Consolidating Your Thinking

Question 2: Why should you trust one company to handle all your waste and recycling needs?

Simply Put: Focusing energy on scheduling, pickup times and what waste is going to what location are just added plates to what businesses are already spinning.

Organizations can benefit from hiring an outside source to deal with all waste matters, including:

• Peace of mind
• Eliminating need for specialty disposal equipment and training
• Satisfy federal waste regulations and avoid costly fines
• Skip the need for holding facilities

Your Next Move: No matter your industry-specific needs, experienced professionals can help businesses achieve the best outcome to reduce waste where possible and create the most efficient disposal system and allow room for future growth.

Embracing a Holistic Approach

Question 3: How does knowing the ins and outs of your business’ waste strengthen efficiency and help move the sustainability needle on a larger scale?

Simply put: Businesses can transform with a more holistic approach to waste and recycling initiatives. Thus, creates more adaptable operating/business models and contributes to system-wide change.

Your Next Move: With eyes set on the future, regulations will require mass recycling within the industry. Taking steps toward sustainability, no matter the size, and having a comprehensive view of operations backed by data can generate fruitful, profitable opportunities.

Small steps are being made worldwide but following suit with a similar ambition can bring about the right level of investment that is aligned by legislation and commitment from the industry.

About Us

Quest Resource Management Group (NASDAQ:QRHC) is a national provider of waste and recycling services that uses a deep expertise to build single-source, client-specific solutions to address a wide variety of waste streams and recyclables across multiple industry sectors. Quest also provides information and data that tracks and reports the environmental results of Quest’s services and provides actionable data to improve business operations.