The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on topics of mutual interest, including recycling, food waste and education.

“SWANA is pleased to enter into this collaborative arrangement with ASTSWMO, which will strengthen both associations,” said SWANA Executive Director and CEO David Biderman in a statement. “By combining SWANA’s strength at the local level with ASTSWMO’s members at the state and territorial levels, we can more effectively work to serve our members with education and information on a variety of issues, with an initial focus on recycling and food waste.”

While the duo will initially focus on recycling, food waste and education, they also plan to develop strategies that provide reciprocal awareness of each association within the other association’s membership. 

“ASTSWMO looks forward to our partnership with SWANA, aligning our shared vision and communicating our mutual goals,” said ASTSWMO Executive Director Dania Rodriguez in a statement. “Recycling is fundamental to ASTSWMO’s mission, and we hope to increase awareness among our membership as we collaborate on how to reduce food waste, which accounts for 37 percent of the nation’s landfill capacity. The ASTSWMO Board of Directors is pleased to enter into this MOU with SWANA.”