Recycling Today Media Group, NWRA launch new Safety First webinar series

The Recycling Today Media Group is excited to announce Safety First, a new quarterly lunch-and-learn webinar series produced by Waste Today and presented with the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA).

Designed to help waste and recycling leaders strengthen safety programs and protect their workforce, Safety First provides actionable strategies, real-world case studies and expert insights managers can apply immediately across facilities, fleets and field operations.

2026 Safety First Webinar Schedule

Zero Harm: Building a SIF Prevention Program for Waste and Recycling Operations

Feb. 17 | noon - 1 p.m. ET

Serious injuries and fatalities (SIF) in waste and recycling operations are preventable with a systematic approach to identifying and controlling highest-risk exposures. This webinar introduces the fundamentals of SIF prevention tailored specifically to our industry's unique hazards. Learn how to identify your critical risk areas, distinguish between high-frequency/low-severity incidents and low-frequency/high-severity exposures and implement controls that actually work. We examine real-world SIF events from waste operations, discuss precursor indicators that signal elevated risk and provide practical frameworks for building or strengthening your SIF prevention program. Whether you're starting from scratch or enhancing existing safety efforts, you'll leave with actionable strategies to protect your most valuable asset—your people.

Struck-By Prevention: Managing Vehicle-Pedestrian Interactions in Waste and Recycling Facilities

May 14 | noon - 1 p.m. ET

Sponsored by Mac Trailer

Vehicle-pedestrian incidents represent one of the leading causes of fatalities in waste and recycling operations. With heavy equipment, commercial trucks and workers often occupying the same space, the potential for catastrophic struck-by incidents is ever-present. This webinar provides comprehensive strategies for separating people from moving vehicles and managing interactions where separation is unavoidable, such as on landfill working faces, tipping floors, scale houses and yard operations. We cover site design considerations, traffic control plans, technology solutions (i.e., proximity detection, cameras and alarms), administrative controls and the critical human factors that contribute to these incidents. Learn from incident investigations, explore best practices from high-performing facilities and discover how to conduct effective risk assessments for your specific operational environment.

Thermal Runaway: Managing Lithium-Ion Battery Risks in Waste and Recycling Operations

Aug. 13 | noon - 1 p.m. ET

Lithium-ion batteries have become the fastest-growing fire hazard in the waste and recycling industry, causing millions in property damage and putting workers at serious risk. From electronics in residential collection to batteries hidden in trash compactors and sorting lines, these devices can ignite with little warning and burn at extreme temperatures. This webinar equips you with the knowledge to prevent, detect and respond to lithium-ion battery fires. We cover battery chemistry basics, recognition and sorting strategies, facility design considerations, suppression system options, emergency response protocols and employee training requirements. Learn from recent industry incidents, understand what works and what doesn't in fire suppression and develop a comprehensive battery safety plan for your operations—from collection routes to processing facilities. Also hear how the National Waste and Recycling Foundation is educating the public on how to properly dispose of batteries with its national battery safety campaign, “Skip the Bin – Turn Your Batteries In!” featuring Woodsy Owl.

Regulatory Roadmap I: Navigating OSHA Requirements in Waste Management

Nov. 12 | noon - 1 p.m. ET

The waste and recycling industry sits at the intersection of numerous Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Department of Transportation regulations, and compliance gaps can result in significant citations, fines and increased incident risk. This year-end webinar provides a comprehensive review of the most critical—and most frequently cited—regulatory requirements affecting waste and recycling operations. We cover OSHA standards including powered industrial trucks, lockout/tagout, confined spaces, personal protective equipment, hazard communication and recordkeeping. Learn what triggers inspections, how to prepare for them, common citation patterns in our industry and practical compliance strategies that integrate seamlessly with daily operations. We also preview any upcoming regulatory changes that could impact your 2027 planning.

Learn more and register at safetyfirst.wastetodaymagazine.com.

About the Recycling Today Media Group

Recycling Today was founded in 1963 as Secondary Raw Materials magazine. Since then, the single brand has grown into a group of magazines, websites, e-newsletters, events and exhibitions and industry databases. They combine to form the Recycling Today Media Group, which provides uniquely comprehensive coverage of the recycled materials and environmental services industries.

The group’s media brands include Recycling Today, Waste Today, Recycling Today Global Report, Construction & Demolition Recycling, Plastics Recycling and Scrap Recycling. Its events include the Battery and Universal Waste Recycling Conference, Organics Recycling Conference, Paper and Plastics Recycling Conference, MRF Operations Forum, Scrap Expo and Waste Today’s Corporate Growth Conference.

The group is a business unit of GIE Media Inc., a leading business-to-business media company based in Valley View, Ohio.

About NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage solid, industrial/hazardous, medical and construction/demolition debris waste and represent equipment manufacturers and distributors and a variety of other professional service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.