SWANA, ASTSWMO to collaborate on recycling, food waste and education

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, and the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO), Washington, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that outlines their intent to conduct various collaborative efforts on topics of mutual interest.

SWANA and ASTSWMO initially will focus on recycling, food waste and education, saying they intend to develop strategies that provide reciprocal awareness of each association within the other association’s membership.  

“SWANA is pleased to enter into this collaborative arrangement with ASTSWMO, which will strengthen both associations,” says David Biderman, SWANA executive director and CEO. “By combining SWANA’s strength at the local level with ASTSWMO’s members at the state and territorial levels, we can more effectively work to serve our members with education and information on a variety of issues, with an initial focus on recycling and food waste.”

“ASTSWMO looks forward to our partnership with SWANA, aligning our shared vision and communicating our mutual goals,” says Dania Rodriguez, ASTSWMO executive director. “Recycling is fundamental to ASTSWMO’s mission, and we hope to increase awareness among our membership as we collaborate on how to reduce food waste, which accounts for 37 percent of the nation’s landfill capacity. The ASTSWMO board of directors is pleased to enter into this MOU with SWANA.”

SWANA is an organization of more than 9,000 public and private sector professionals committed to advancing from solid waste management to resource management through their shared emphasis on education, advocacy and research. For more than 50 years, SWANA says it has been the leading association in the solid waste management field. SWANA serves industry professionals through technical conferences, certifications, publications and technical training courses.

ASTSWMO says it is a nonprofit association whose mission is to enhance and promote effective state and territorial programs and affect relevant national policies for waste and materials management, environmentally sustainable practices and environmental restoration.