Today's communities face challenges that extend far beyond waste disposal. From housing and climate goals to infrastructure and economic development, materials management has become a critical tool for building resilience. Explore how forward-thinking communities are moving beyond traditional solid waste planning and using integrated strategies, including construction and demolition material recovery, to create lasting environmental and economic benefits.

RRS Co-CEO Resa Dimino is teaching NERC's Sustainable Materials and Recycling Policy course this fall, bringing over 30 years of hands-on policy experience to a three-session virtual curriculum covering EPR, deposit return systems, and the evolution of U.S. recycling policy.

Jim Frey is Co-Founder of Resource Recycling Systems and executive chair of its Board of Directors. Over more than three decades in the field, he has helped shape recycling programs, market development strategies, and systems-level thinking for municipalities, producers, and industry organizations across the country, spanning everything from curbside collection program design to commodity market analysis to producer responsibility policy.

Effective waste and recycling policy is not just about setting goals. It is about designing requirements that communities can actually execute. From food waste diversion to mandatory commercial recycling, see how thoughtful policy design is driving real progress across the Southeast.

Learn how states and communities are moving from planning to implementation using SWIFR funding. Featuring leaders from Alabama, Washington State, and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, the session explored real-world approaches to building infrastructure, launching programs, and improving system performance while navigating challenges like capacity limitations and federal requirements. Designed for communities, states, and tribes, the discussion offered practical insights on execution, including working with grant officers, developing QAPPs, and addressing provisions such as Build America, Buy America.

EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grants are helping states and communities modernize recycling and materials management systems. Explore how SWIFR-funded projects are advancing circular economy strategies across the U.S., from statewide solid waste plans to recycling system optimization

RRS hosted an evening social at the 2026 Resource Recycling Conference, bringing together leaders across recycling and materials management for conversation, collaboration, and connection.