The second annual Waste360 Recycling Summit, which examines critical issues surrounding recycling and sustainability, kicked off on Monday night at the Hyatt Regency Austin hotel in Austin, Texas.

The Waste360 Recycling Summit, produced in partnership with the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) is a three-day event that brings together industry thought leaders, practitioners, customers and manufacturers to discuss the industry’s challenges and opportunities.

Monday’s events included committee meetings and an opening reception at the event’s exhibit hall.

Almost 20 companies and organizations are exhibiting at the event.

On Tuesday, the conference’s education tracks begin. A Sustainable Materials Management Programs Keynote Panel will kick off the conference. It will feature Lisa Carlson, environmental supervisor, solid resources commercial franchise division, City of Los Angeles; Jennifer Gerholdt, senior director, environmental program, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation; and Sara Hartwell, a consultant who formerly worked for the EPA. It will be moderated by Sharon Kneiss, president and CEO of the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA).

Tuesday will also feature the presentation of NWRA’s recycling awards.

Other subjects on Tuesday will include mixed waste processing, food waste policies, shipping of recyclables, the limits to recycling, plastics recycling, municipal contract best practice and extended producer responsibility laws.

On Wednesday, the education for the day will kick off with a session on glass recycling. Other subjects will include current issues facing recycling, recycling state of practice, waste conversion technologies, single-stream recycling, the costs of recycling on MRF operations, recycling education and special issues in recycling.