I write this from New Bern, North Carolina which is hosting the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Quad State Conference.

When I first attended a SWANA conference several years ago I learned that the industry’s focus and direction could be gleaned better from the vendors who attended to set up booths than from the conference agenda.  This year was no different.

Ten years ago the issues were effecient hauling, better equipment for landfill compaction, new technologies for landfill construction, and recycling.

This year the focus is on alternative solutions to waste disposal, waste-to-energy technology, carbon footprints and carbon credits, using capped landfills for solar or wind generated power, and more effecient ways to extract and use methane gas.

It’s a marriage of energy and waste.

All industries morph, but the industries that morph successfully are the ones that find a profitable way to solve society’s newest problems.  Solid waste handling and disposal in this country alone is a multi-multi-billion dollar endeavor.  There are seemingly countless new ideas and technologies chasing limited venture capital funds. Many of these new ideas and ventures will fail.  But some will succeed.