National Waste & Recycling Association

What National Waste & Recycling Association does

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 1962 and headquartered at 1550 Crystal Drive, Suite 804, Arlington, Virginia. It represents the private-sector waste and recycling services industry in the United States, with 550+ member companies operating in all 50 states, including major haulers (Republic Services, WM, Waste Connections, GFL Environmental, Casella, Rumpke, USA Hauling & Recycling, Coastal Waste & Recycling, WIN Waste Innovations), equipment manufacturers (Mack Trucks, Wastequip, Machinex, McNeilus, Rehrig Pacific, AutoCar, Sierra Container Group), and healthcare waste specialists organized under the Healthcare Waste Institute (HWI) and the Landfill Institute (LFI). NWRA operates as a standards-setting body, serving as the Secretariat for the American National Standards Committee Z245, which develops equipment, technology, and operational standards for waste and recycling facilities; it is not a software or technology company and has no app, API, or SDK footprint.

NWRA's core product portfolio spans advocacy (federal, state, local, plus a PAC), safety programs and training (Safety Monday newsletter, Safety First Lunch & Learn webinars, Focus on Fleet Safety, Slow Down to Get Around campaign, Skip the Bin! battery safety campaign), standards development (ANSI Z245), member networks (Future Industry Leaders Alliance/FILA, Hispanic Waste & Recycling Alliance/HWRA, Women's Council), award programs (Hall of Fame since 1986 with 217+ inductees, Recycling Awards, Driver/Operator/Technician of the Year), annual events (WasteExpo and the inaugural Waste Leadership Summit, the latter co-presented with Informa's Waste360 in June 2026 and drawing 1,400+ decision-makers), and the National Waste & Recycling Foundation (NWRF) scholarship program, which has awarded over $500,000 since 2009. Revenue is generated from tiered annual membership dues (Services, Supplier, Dealers, HWI, Associates, Local Members, with a $6.9M revenue ceiling for the Local Member tier), event sponsorships (Titanium, Platinum, and additional tiers), and training/certification programs including the FILA Leadership Certificate.

The association distributes services through 25+ state and regional chapters, a member dashboard, and multi-channel communications including email/newsletter (3,000+ subscribers), webinars, PR campaigns, and a public-facing newsroom. Strategic partnerships include SWANA, ReMA, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, OSHA Alliance, NIOSH/NORA, Together for Safer Roads, Informa/Waste360, and the U.S. Forest Service. NWRA has also engaged in regulatory litigation, suing the EPA over the AP-42 landfill emissions methodology and previously over the PFOS/PFOA CERCLA hazardous-substance designation, and has signaled a more active advocacy posture under new leadership.

Name

National Waste & Recycling Association

Legal name

National Waste & Recycling Association

Website

https://wasterecycling.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Waste Management & Hazardous Waste Compliance (RCRA, Universal Waste, Waste Characterization/Manifests) (EUAHABAC)

Keywords

• Trade association
• Waste management
• Recycling services
• Industry advocacy
• Safety standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NWRA generates revenue through annual membership dues from companies in the waste and recycling industry, including service providers, suppliers, dealers, and affiliate members. Membership categories include Services, Supplier, Dealers, Affiliate, Healthcare Waste Institute, Associates, and Local Members with varying dues structures.
2. Event Sponsorships: NWRA generates revenue through national sponsorships and sponsorship opportunities at industry events including WasteExpo and the Waste Leadership Summit, with Titanium, Platinum, and various sponsorship tiers.
3. Training and Certification Programs: NWRA offers safety training, educational resources, and certification programs including the FILA Leadership Certificate Program for industry professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) is a nonprofit trade association providing federal, state, and local advocacy, safety standards development (ANSI Z245), training, industry events (WasteExpo, Waste Leadership Summit), member networks, and public safety campaigns to 550+ private-sector waste and recycling companies operating across all 50 U.S. states. The association funds these activities through tiered membership dues, event sponsorships, and training/certification programs.

Product overview

National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) is a trade association serving as the national voice of the private-sector waste and recycling industry since 1962. Rather than offering a unified software product, NWRA provides a portfolio of member services including federal/state/local advocacy, safety standards development (ANS Z245), training programs, member networks (FILA, HWRA, Women's Council), award programs (Hall of Fame, Recycling Awards, Driver of the Year), annual events (WasteExpo/Waste Leadership Summit), and public safety campaigns (Slow Down to Get Around, Skip the Bin! battery safety). The association connects 550+ member companies across all 50 states through chapters, committees, and strategic partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Future Industry Leaders Alliance (FILA): A member network providing education, networking, and mentoring to future leaders in the waste and recycling industry for executive advancement and professional leadership.
• Hispanic Waste & Recycling Alliance (HWRA)
• Women's Council
• Healthcare Waste Institute (HWI)
• Landfill Institute (LFI)

Products and services

• Industry Advocacy Services Federal, state, and local advocacy representing the private-sector waste and recycling industry before Congress and regulatory agencies on issues including Extended Producer Responsibility, lithium batteries, bottle bills, PFAS, and solid waste regulations.
• Safety Programs and Training Comprehensive safety training, standards development, and educational resources including Safety Monday newsletter, seminars, webinars, Safety Manual, and the Focus on Fleet Safety initiative to reduce injuries and fatalities in the waste and recycling industry.
• ANSI Z245 Standards Development NWRA serves as Secretariat for the American National Standards Committee Z245, leading development of equipment, technology, and operational safety standards for waste and recycling equipment, facilities, and operations including mobile collection equipment, compactors, balers, containers, and transfer stations.
• WasteExpo and Waste Leadership Summit Annual industry events bringing together waste and recycling professionals for education, networking, and exhibitions, including the NWRA Annual Awards Gala recognizing industry excellence.
• National Waste & Recycling Foundation Scholarships Scholarship program supporting students pursuing education in the waste and recycling industry, with over $500,000 awarded since inception in 2009.
• FILA Leadership Certificate Program Leadership development and certificate program providing education, networking, and mentoring to prepare future leaders for executive advancement in the waste and recycling industry.
• National Sponsorship Program Tiered sponsorship opportunities (Titanium, Platinum, and additional levels) at national events including WasteExpo and the Waste Leadership Summit, providing brand exposure to industry decision-makers across all 50 states.
• Industry Awards Programs Annual recognition programs including the Hall of Fame (since 1986), Recycling Awards, and Driver/Operator of the Year awards honoring industry leaders and professionals with significant contributions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 550 member companies served across all 50 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Informa's Waste360flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026NWRA and Informa's Waste360 co-present the Waste Leadership Summit and WasteExpo, the premier industry events drawing 1,400+ decision-makers and featuring the Waste360/Stifel Investor Summit.
• U.S. Forest Service (Woodsy Owl)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 May 2026NWRA partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to feature Woodsy Owl in promoting the national 'Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!' battery safety campaign to over 600 industry professionals at conferences.
• Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025NWRA partnered with ReMA and SWANA to release a joint guide for managing lithium-ion batteries at materials recovery facilities and announced a national PSA campaign on battery safety.
• Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA collaborates with CVSA on commercial vehicle safety issues affecting the waste and recycling industry, sharing enforcement data and regulatory guidance.
• Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA partners with EREF on research initiatives and graduate-level scholarships in waste management. EREF's charitable auction at the Waste Leadership Summit raised $4.3 million for scholarships.
• Fleet Safety Leadership ConferencesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA collaborates with the Fleet Safety Leadership Conference on safety initiatives and best practices sharing for fleet operations.
• National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) / NIOSHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA participates in NORA as part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to advance occupational safety research in the waste and recycling industry.
• OSHA AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA maintains an OSHA Alliance to promote workplace safety and health in the waste and recycling industry through collaborative safety programs and compliance resources.
• Our Roads, Our SafetysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with FMCSA to promote road safety awareness and protect waste and recycling collection workers from motorist-related incidents.
• Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA collaborates with SWANA on industry issues, publishing joint guides such as the battery management guide for MRFs, and co-hosting events including the Waste Leadership Summit.
• Together for Safer RoadscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA partners with Together for Safer Roads on the FOCUS on Fleet Safety initiative, a systematic approach to raising safety standards in the waste and recycling sector.
• National Waste & Recycling FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWRA's affiliated foundation operates the battery safety campaign and scholarship programs, having awarded over $500,000 in scholarships since 2009 and launching the Woodsy Campaign for battery disposal education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Environmental Council of the States (ECOS): ECOS is the association of state environmental agency leaders, frequently intersecting with NWRA's state-level advocacy on solid waste and recycling rules. It is an emerging/ecosystem peer because both sides must engage on state rulemaking.
• Product Stewardship Institute (PSI): PSI is a niche policy organization promoting Extended Producer Responsibility and product stewardship — areas where NWRA actively opposes certain frameworks. It is a peer because it engages on the same legislative and regulatory issues, often on opposing sides.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The U.S. Chamber is a broad-incumbent business association whose federal advocacy footprint overlaps with NWRA's regulatory priorities. It is comparable as a higher-altitude peer that competes for member attention and policy influence.
• American Chemistry Council (ACC): ACC is a large, established trade association that frequently engages on PFAS, EPR, and chemical regulation issues that intersect NWRA's advocacy agenda. It is a broad incumbent operating in the same policy ecosystem with overlapping federal engagement.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): NAM is a broad-incumbent industry association that represents U.S. manufacturers, including waste-equipment OEMs that are NWRA sponsors. It competes for advocacy mindshare on federal policy and serves as a coalition partner on broader regulatory fights.

Direct peers

• Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI): ISRI is the voice of the U.S. scrap recycling industry, focused on commodities, brokers, and processors. It is a direct peer because it represents an adjacent recycling constituency, runs a major convention, and engages in overlapping federal advocacy.
• Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA): SWANA is the closest direct peer — a North American trade association for the solid waste industry, focused on the public sector. It co-hosts the Waste Leadership Summit with NWRA and overlaps on training, certifications, and standards, making it the most direct head-to-head comparable.
• Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF): EREF is the research and scholarship foundation for the waste industry and runs the charitable auction that raised $4.3M at the Waste Leadership Summit. It is a peer in the industry-institution ecosystem, with closely aligned mission and donor base.
• Recycled Materials Association (ReMA): ReMA (formerly ISRI) is the trade association for the recycled materials industry. It partners with NWRA on lithium-ion battery handling guidance for MRFs and shares advocacy and event DNA, making it a direct peer in adjacent recycling subsegments.

Others

• Waste 360 / Informa Markets: Waste360/Informa is NWRA's co-presenting partner for WasteExpo and the Waste Leadership Summit and runs adjacent media and data products. It is comparable as an enabling/ecosystem peer rather than a direct trade association competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wasterecycling
• Facebookfacebook.com/wasterecycling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nwra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Waste & Recycling Association