Experts stressed that recycling and waste companies have a particular responsibility to understand and address environmental justice, in part because many of their facilities are in lower-income communities or communities of color. 

By Megan Quinn/Waste Dive

Speakers at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries’ April convention acknowledged the intricacies of environmental justice (EJ), racism, and diversity targets, offering suggestions on how to approach the topics during multiple panel discussions.

Experts stressed that recycling and waste companies have a particular responsibility to understand and address environmental justice, in part because many of their facilitiesare in lower-income communities or communities of color. As company leaders look for ways to be more involved in their communities, they must work to diversify and support their own workforces, too, they said.

ISRI’s board chair, Gary Champlin, acknowledged that the recycling industry has not always been as vocal about discussing EJ, partly because some recyclers may see the topic as a “sore spot.” This year, ISRI’s convention had multiple panels that specifically addressed EJ issues and diversity topics. “It’s essential that we all understand the goals of environmental justice and why it is so important, and to look not only at how it fits with our industry, but how it can be an essential part of our long-term growth,” he said.  

Here are some takeaways from the conference:

If you liked this post you’ll love our daily newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Don’t take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.