Amplify Your Network Here
WasteExpo’s special events offer a perfect opportunity for you to have fun, unwind, and expand your network! With 10 different events to choose from, there is an activity to fit every attendee and badge type!
2025 Special Events
Welcome Reception
WasteExpo’s Welcome Reception is always a night to remember, and at the last show, we took it to the next level with an exclusive, private performance by none other than O.A.R.—one of the biggest, best-kept secrets in music.
With complimentary food, open bars, and an unforgettable performance, this is how you kick off your time at WasteExpo—Vegas style.
Sponsored by Rehrig Pacific Company
NWRA Awards Gala
Honor the best and brightest achievers in the waste and recycling industry at the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) Awards Gala. The annual NWRA Awards Gala recognizes the industry's brightest stars. The awards presented at this event include Driver of the Year, Operator of the Year and Hall of Fame.
Questions? Contact Genevieve O'Sullivan at gosullivan@wasterecycling.org.
NWRA Women’s Council Carts on Display
**Open to all badge holders
Participate in a dynamic art competition that blends creativity with purpose. This one-of-a-kind event invites vendors to reimagine carts as stunning works of art, showcasing the innovation and growth of the waste and recycling industry. Participants can bring their own 32/35-gallon or 64/65-gallon cart, or opt to have a 65-gallon cart provided. Attendees get to vote on their favorite cart and crown a winner!
NWRA Women's Council Boutique
Stop by the boutique to shop for industry-related and recycled items, and to connect with Women’s Council leaders and members.
Proceeds from the NWRA Women’s Council Boutique support the council’s initiatives, including academic scholarship programs that help pave career paths in the waste and recycling industry.
Waste360 TRASHION: a Recycle, Reuse, ReFashion Show
Presented by EREF, Waste360, and New Orleans Fashion Week
**Open to all badge holders. Reduce, Reuse, ReFashion! Textiles are a rapidly growing waste type, with clothing playing a major role. Waste360's TRASHION runway show highlights local upcycled designers and thrifted stylists transforming discarded items into fashion. Join us for a fun, impactful event showcasing creative waste diversion.
Waste360 Awards
40 Under 40 Awards
**Tickets required
The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics has made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policymakers, and product suppliers.
Each year the award winners are invited to WasteExpo for the award reception.
Sponsored by: GFL, Reworld
Women Who Inspire Awards
The Waste360 Women Who Inspire Awards celebrate women in waste and recycling on a public platform. We look forward to recognizing an extraordinary woman who’s inspiring others in her community and beyond.
Presented by: Wastequip
Public Sector Reception
**Open to all Public Sector & Government badge holders
Join us at the annual public sector reception, exclusively for public sector and government badge holders. Network with peers and build valuable connections in a dedicated, professional environment.
Government Procurement Partner: Sourcewell
Mack Trucks' Ride & Drive
Test drive one of Mack's refuse trucks and see how its design was inspired by their customer’s desire for the best truck for their operations, with superior maneuverability, visibility and ergonomics. A current CDL is required to drive the vehicle.
EREF's Annual Charitable Auction & Silent Auction
**Open to all badges.
Join us at the EREF booth for one of the most popular features of WasteExpo, EREF's Annual Charitable Auction. The Auction is EREF’s largest fundraiser and has raised $37 million in support of its mission since 1995.
International Reception
**Open to all International Attendees
Meet and network with other delegates from outside of the U.S. at our dedicated international reception. Relax in our international center while you discuss business and network with professionals from around the world
Sponsored by: Invest Northern Ireland, Permco
Co-Located Events
Learn ways to solve the social and environmental issues of wasted food as well as avenues to profit from its recovery and reuse. When you register for the Food Recovery Forum, you also receive 3 days of educational and technical sessions on Organics Recycling.
Sponsored by Stericycle, tackle the healthcare industry's biggest challenges at the only annual conference in the U.S. strictly devoted to healthcare waste! The conference focuses on regulatory, legislative and technical issues affecting the healthcare waste industry.
Presented by Stifel, get business advice from investors and leaders from top public and private waste companies. Gain insights to succeed with a full day of learning, analysis, and networking you won’t find anywhere else. Seating is limited!
Join industry leaders as they discuss how the waste and recycling industry takes on plastics, packaging, and other environmental challenges – and our role in building a sustainable future.
