Industry organizations will offer a variety of in-person conferences in 2026 meant to cultivate conversations around some of the most pressing issues in the waste and recycling industry.
These upcoming conferences will cater to professionals working in collections, landfill operations, recycling, organics, technology and more.
Conference-goers will discuss a range of topics, including industry innovations, policy matters, commodity markets, extended producer responsibility, labor issues and the role of artificial intelligence, among others.
Below is a list of relevant waste and recycling conferences planned for the first half of the year. Our list includes most major national events, and the list is periodically updated with new events.
We won’t be able to accommodate every local conference, but would still love to hear about your upcoming event. Reach out at waste.dive.editors@industrydive.com.
Waste and recycling conferences in 2026
CDRA Conference & Tradeshow
Jan. 27-30
Wesley Chapel, Florida
The Construction & Demolition Recycling Association’s annual conference brings together stakeholders in the C&D recycling industry to discuss trends and explore emerging technologies.
Compost 2026
Feb. 2-5
Sacramento, California
The U.S. Composting Council hosts this multiday conference, which it pitches as "The World's Largest Composting Event." The conference features panels and workshops on a range of topics, including feedstocks, technology and regulation.
Global Waste Management Symposium
Feb. 22-25
Indian Wells, California
The waste management technical conference features research presentations and workshops on solid waste engineering and management topics.
Resource Recycling Conference, Plastics Recycling Conference and Textiles Recovery Summit
Feb. 23-25
Chula Vista, California
The three conferences will be co-located, and attendees will be able to access all three events. The Resource Recycling conference covers a range of topics related to organics, packaging, state and federal policy and more.
The Plastics Recycling Conference will cover topics such as plastics markets, EPR, PCR mandates and chemical recycling.
The Textiles Recovery Summit will cover topics such as California’s textile EPR law, technology for sorting textiles, the role of AI, and more.
Biogas Americas
May 18-21
Detroit
The American Biogas Council’s annual conference is focused on expanding the biogas industry. Events include informational panels, training and networking opportunities for stakeholders across the industry.
ReFed Food Waste Solutions Summit
May 19-21
Charlotte, North Carolina
This annual summit hosted by nonprofit ReFed brings together a range of food industry stakeholders to discuss opportunities for food waste reduction across the supply chain.
Waste Leadership Summit
June 8-10, 2026
Washington, D.C.
The new National Waste & Recycling Association conference will discuss leadership strategies, regulatory developments, workforce challenges, and industry innovations. The event will include the Waste360/Stifel Investor Summit, the NWRA Awards Gala and the EREF Charitable Auction.
Editor’s note: GWMS and the Waste Leadership Summit are run by Informa, which owns a controlling stake in Informa TechTarget, the publisher behind Waste Dive. Informa has no influence over Waste Dive’s coverage.
