Working Groups, Roundtables & Special Events

CWMA Working Groups have been created to provide domain-specific focus to make a greater collective impact on information sharing within the solid waste management industry in British Columbia. These groups are action-oriented networks, where leaders come together to contribute their expertise and experience to help each other learn, develop solutions, and implement successful strategies for managing waste.

Every group is facilitated and participants set agendas based on current interests and needs. All meetings are held on-line/virtually.

• Islands, Remote & Rural Community Working Group co-led by Mike Nestor (Denman Island) and Abby McLennan (Let’s Talk Trash) and includes ongoing updates, presentations, problem-solving discussions, and compilation of common information, successes and challenges for managing waste from BC Islands, rural, and remote areas. Meetings are quarterly.

• LFG Field & Flare Operator Working Group co-led by Sarah Willie (Comox Valley Regional District) this is a small working group of LFG collection field and flare operators in BC who come together to discuss LFG topics and problem solve together. Meetings are every two months. Tours will be added in 2024!

• Educators & Communicators Working Group co-led by the Let’s Talk Trash team, this groups brings together educators and communicators from corporate organizations, non-profits, and local governments to discuss best practices, challenges and opportunities to communicate with the public. This group meets 3 times a year plus ad hoc discussions as needed.

• Construction & Demolition Waste Working Group co-led by Todd Johnston (Regional District of Central Kootenay) this group meets on specific topics related to building, construction and demolition waste diversion, from policy to new innovations. Topics are determined by attendees and range depending on the group interest and needs. Meetings are every two months. NEW! Side meeting for RURAL/REMOTE C&D waste will be set in 2024.

• Plastic Waste Reduction Working Group co-led by Tamara Shulman (Tamara Shulman & Associates) is a purposefully small group that crosses all areas of the topic from producers of reusables to policy analysts. This group aims to better-understand the challenges and potential solutions for plastic waste and bring relevant information back to the local industry via an annual workshop in December.
  
  
• Landfill Operators Working Group. This group comes together for roundtable updates, problem-solving discussions, sharing information, successes, and challenges to keep each other informed and learn from one another. Co-led by Christian Dietrich (Ecowaste Industries), this group meets 4 times a year and provides additional support to each other between meetings.

• Organics & Food Recovery Working Group. This group meets to stay on top of what is happening with organics management and food recovery across BC. Topics are determined by attendees and range depending on the group interest and needs. This group has three planned meetings/roundtable and one major event planned. Ad hoc meetings for specific challenges will be added as needed.

• Northern BC Solid Waste Roundtable. This group focuses on Northern communities across BC dealing with the day-to-day waste management challenges as well as some elected officials whose area portfolios include solid waste management. Presentations, open discussion, problem solving and especially a focus on collaboration to help solve challenges and celebrate success.This group meets 3 times a year plus ad hoc discussions as needed.
  
  
• Textiles Waste Working Group. Co-Led by Renée Macdonald (Galiano Island) and just starting to grow and determine the ideal goals of the group as the interests in this area are vast and include discussions on recycling, repair, re-use, and reduction. This group meets twice a year.