Conference At A Glance 2026

All activities are on the Main Stage – except Concurrent Sessions.
View Day 1 and Day 2 schedules for more speaker information.

Times are listed in Pacific Standard Time

2026 Home
At A Glance
Day 1
Day 2
Keynote Showcase 2026

Day 1 • October 21

Start Time Event
7:45 AM
Start Time • Networking & Zoom Assistance
8:00 AM
Welcome & Opening
8:15 AM
Plenary 1 • Using Data and AI to Drive Progress Toward Zero Waste
9:15 AM Keynote 1 • Zero Waste Systems at a Major Sports Stadium
9:45 AM
Plenary 2 • Urban Mining: The Circular Economy of E-Waste
10:45 AM Break
11:00 AM Concurrent AM

  • Track A – Piloting Reusable Foodware at Airports
  • Track B – Transitioning K-12 Schools to Reuse in Food Service
  • Track C – Prevention Meets Payoff – Practical Waste Reduction Assistance for Restaurants
12:00 PM Sponsor Showcase & Networking 
12:30 PM Keynote 2 • Zero Waste in Construction
1:00 PM Concurrent PM

  • SMM 2030 in Practice: Closing the Loop on Transport Packaging
  • Hold the Plastic: Approaches to Reuse & Reduction on College Campuses
  • Why Zero Waste Programs Stall After the Audit & Assessment Stage
2:00 PM
Plenary 3 • Aligning Mission and Market to Build Local Economies
3:00 PM Highlights and Key Takeaways from the Day
3:15 PM End
   

Day 2 • October 22

Time
 Event
7:45 AM Start Time • Networking & Zoom Assistance
8:00 AM Welcome & Opening
8:15 AM Keynote 1 • Restoring the Sacred Loop: indigenous Values as the Blueprint for a Zero Waste Future
8:45 AM Plenary 1 intro • The State of Zero Waste Municipalities in the U.S. 
9:00 AM Plenary 1 • Communities Leading Toward Zero Waste
10:00 AM Break 
10:15 AM Plenary 2 • Grassroots Community Action
11:15 AM Plenary 3 • Edible Food Recovery
12:15 PM Keynote 2 • Selling the Myth of Plastic Recycling
12:45 PM Sponsor Showcase & Networking

1:15 PM

 Concurrent Session 1
  • Track A – Plastics
  • Track B – Solutions for Hard to Recycle Materials
  • Track C – Behavior Change & Community Engagement

Concurrent Summaries

2:25 PM

Concurrent Session 2

  • Track A – Race to Zero Waste
  • Track B – Transformational Circular Economy Case Studies
  • Track C – Global Zero Waste Forum & COP31: What to Know & How to Engage

Concurrent Summaries

3:35 PM

Breakout Discussions
4:20 PM Highlights and Key Takeaways from the Day