Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/20/2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
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From Policy to Pavement: Operational Realities of Waste Management in a Regulated World
12:00pm CT – Presentation via Zoom
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Summary
Well-intentioned waste and recycling policies often fail at the point of execution, where operational constraints collide with regulatory expectations. This presentation examines the disconnect between waste regulations and real-world system performance, drawing on firsthand experience across municipal, multifamily, and commercial operations. Key challenges include unfunded mandates, labor shortages, route inefficiencies, and persistent data gaps in diversion and contamination reporting. Through applied case examples, the session will highlight how operators adapt, often informally, to maintain service continuity and compliance despite misaligned policy frameworks. The presentation also explores how local and state policy design can unintentionally introduce operational inefficiencies, increase costs, and reduce material recovery outcomes. Attendees will gain practical insight into how agencies and regulators can improve policy effectiveness by incorporating operational data, workforce realities, and performance-based metrics into program design, closing the gap between regulatory intent and on-the-ground results.
Speakers:
Lainika E. Johnson
Lainika E. Johnson is the Founder & CEO of Eco in the City. Known as America’s leading waste reduction and staffing expert, she helps cities, property managers, and local businesses turn everyday waste challenges into practical and profitable sustainability solutions powered by data. With nearly two decades of experience including her launchpad at Republic Services and rising to senior executive at another California-based waste company, Lainika has set her own mark having previously onboarded nearly 200 multifamily communities in less than a year through her growing enterprise. Her impressive repertoire of work bridges community, technology and policy with credentials from Harvard Business School and UCLA, to name a few. Lainika’s sought-after insight has been recognized in major outlets like Black Enterprise and Black News and local outlets including ATL Live, Arizona’s ABC-15, Sacramento’s NBC KCRA-TV and Waste & Recycling Magazine.
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