Episodes

May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month and ReMA has been highlighting a variety of resources that can help members and their employees create and maintain a culture of well-being in the workplace. On this episode of This Week in Recycling we chat with Megan Delp, Director of Workplace Mental Health at the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She discusses the importance of speaking up against mental health stigma and how employers can create a safe workplace where employees feel comf...

On Thursday, May 7, ReMA’s New England Chapter hosted an awards ceremony for the winners of the Connecticut state JASON Learning Contest in partnership with the Boys and Girls Village. Students also received a tour of ReMA member HW Green’s recycling operation, connecting classroom learning to real-world opportunities. Now in its second year, the Connecticut state-JASON Learning Contest is an example of a successful partnership between a ReMA chapter, JASON Learning, and dedicated special educat...

On Wednesday, April 22, Natalie Messer Betts, ReMA’s Vice President of Sustainability and Materials Systems, attended the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies’ second Annual Sustainability Summit in partnership with the University of Houston and Recycling Science Council (RSC). The summit convenes researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and students to examine sustainability challenges through a systems-level perspective. On this episode of This Week in Recycling, Betts shares her ex...

May is National Electrical Safety Month, spearheaded by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), which works to reduce fires, fatalities, injuries, and property loss related to electrical mishaps and negligence. ESFI and ReMA have partnered on resources to promote lithium-ion battery recycling and educate the public on how to purchase, use, and recycle these batteries safely. On this episode of This Week in Recycling we chat with Daniel Majano, Program Director at ESFI, about elect...

ReMA has released a new Economic Impact Study on Earth Day, underscoring the essential role recycled materials play in powering American manufacturing, strengthening supply chains, and advancing environmental sustainability. On this episode of This Week in Recycling, we chat with Emily Sanchez, ReMA’s Chief Economist, about the major takeaways from the study, and how the industry has been delivering the economic story, the sustainability story, and the American jobs story for more than 100 years...

The Recycling Education and Research Foundation (RERF) is a nonprofit organization associated with ReMA. Since its founding, RERF has funded valuable industry research and has awarded more than $1.6 million scholarships to more than 1200 students across the country. By funding research and providing academic scholarships, the foundation continues to raise the profile of the recycled materials industry. Recently, the RERF Board decided to raise to get K9 service animals to veterans in need. On th...

From April 13 – 16 2026, ReMA2026 – The Show, Powered by ReMatter is taking over Mandalay Bay and bringing together professionals in the recycled materials industry. To give attendees a sneak peek of what’s to come at the convention, This Week in Recycling is presenting a series featuring ReMA leaders, members, speakers, and exhibitors discussing aspects of ReMA2026. On this episode we chat with Nidhi Turakhia, CEO & Partner at Allied Alloys, who will be speaking on the ReMA2026 education sessio...

Industrial Athletes, recyclers show up every day ready to perform. The ReMA2026 Safety First Stadium, Presented by Omnisource, is all about giving them the training, tools, and resources they need to stay strong, safe, and at the top of their game. On this episode of This Week in Recycling, Holly Brownell, ReMA’s Advocacy and Safety Programs Administrator discusses the new Safety-First Stadium that will be held during the ReMA2026 convention and what attendees can look forward there including m...

Todd Foreman, ReMA’s Senior Director of Law Enforcement Outreach, often attends the FBI National Academy Professional Development Days, organized by the FBI National Academy Associates. During the day, students meet with academic partners, members of law enforcement, and strategic partners for networking, specialized training, and exposure to various cutting-edge topics. Foreman uses the day to share ReMA’s suite of tools that help law enforcement combat metals thefts and to make important conne...

On Tuesday, February 10, more than 120 recyclers from across the country traveled to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC to meet with lawmakers and legislative staff as part of ReMA 2026 Congressional Fly-In. On this episode of This Week in Recycling we chat with Boyd Jones, Director of Business Development and Public Relations at Michael Brothers Companies about his experience participating in the Fly-In, how to approach lawmakers and staffers with asks, and why it’s important for recyclers to engag...

On this episode of This Week in Recycling we cover ReMA President Robin Wiener’s recent trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil to attend the 2025 Eco Expo Brazil, how China’s new import restrictions on recycled dry milled pulp may impact recyclers, as well as tips and best practices to keep yourself and your family safe this Halloween season

This episode of This Week in Recycling features a conversation with Dr. Quincie Moore, executive director of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA). In September, the SCASA hosted a roundtable that highlighted the recycled materials industry. The roundtable included a panel featuring ReMA members on the impact and opportunities for South Carolina industries and South Carolina school districts and a showcase of the winning posters from the first-ever South Carolina recycl...

On this episode of This Week in Recycling, we chat with grad student Sarim Faheem about his experience participating in ReMA’s Pathways Program this past summer. The Pathways Program is designed to provide ReMA members with another resource to attract talent, fill workforce needs and critical competency gaps, and raise awareness about recycled materials careers. Faheem spent his summer internship with Benicia, CA-based Bay Area Compliance on projects that aligned with his area of study. Faheem i...

On this episode of This Week in Recycling, we chat with Abbie Webb and Stephanie McLarty, co-chairs of ReMA’s Sustainability Network. They share their thoughts about the role and importance of the network for the recycled materials industry as well as some of the benefits for members who might be interested in joining.

This episode of This Week in Recycling features a conversation with Neil Chalupa all about the 2025 Best Young and Brightest (BYAB) event that ran from August 13 to 15 in Columbus, Ohio. BYAB brought together young executives from ReMA-member companies for networking, teambuilding, and industry-specific experiences including a tour of the Rumpke Recycling and Resource facility.

On this episode of This Week in Recycling, we chat with Corey Cooper, Director of Marketing Ontario & USA at AIM Recycling about Dinos in the Scrap Yard: A Metal Recycling Adventure, a new book published by Cooper, his colleague Alba Estrade, Marketing Specialist USA, and in partnership with AIM Recycling. Published on August 7, the book aims to inspire young readers and their families to understand the value of metal recycling and its role in protecting our planet.

This year, ReMA’s Safety Stand Down Week ran from Monday, August 11 to Friday, August 17. How did recyclers participate? This Week in Recycling we spoke with Robert Reed, Director of Marketing & PR at Sunnking Sustainable Solutions all about how Sunnking chose to participate in Safey Stand Down Week – from engaging in informative videos and quizzes, to hands-on training with fire extinguishers.

This Week in Recycling we chat with Mafalda de Freitas, environmental scientist at Hawaii Pacific University and megaplastic program director at the University’s Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR). In 2024, the university launched the first and only marine debris Plastic Recycling Research Facility in the state with the goal of transforming plastic collected from the Pacific Ocean into long-life infrastructure products.

Now that ReMA’s Women in Recycling Council’s Mentorship Program application period has opened, we’re chatting with Sandy Pierce, who leads the program, and Nina Grimes, vice chair of WIR all about the benefits of participating in the mentorship program for both mentors and mentees and how this program helps strengthen the recycled materials industry.

This Week in Recycling, ReMA member Krista Ostuno discusses the importance of ReMA’s presence at the upcoming National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) from Aug. 4-6 in Boston, Massachusetts.

On This week in Recycling, we chat with Genti Bardhi, Chair of ReMA’s Tire and Rubber Division, about his start in the recycled materials industry, the work of the Tire and Rubber Division, and his vision for the present and future.

This Week in Recycling Sandy Pierce, Territory Manager – Midwest, Precious Metals Refining and Chemicals, at BASF joins the podcast to discuss the importance of the ReMA-JASON Learning Youth Poster & Video Contest as well as the ReMA Mentorship program.

Robert Schneider, Energy Security Agency Director of Training and Education, Shares Importance of ReMA/ESA Safety Technician Course at ReMA2025 – The Show.

This week in recycling we share a ReMA2025 Live Stage interview with ReMA Electronics Division Chair Amanda Tischer-Buros. Amanda gives us an inside look at the division including short- and long-term goals.