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20+ Years Environmental Management Experience / Leader in Business Strategy & Acquisition / Western US Facilities Oversight / Training & Regulatory Compliance / Human Resource Management & Professional Growth

Expert is a results-driven business professional with 20+ years’ experience in management, sales, strategic-planning, managing multiple office locations, improving efficiency of operations, team-building, and detailing project information to determine effective processes for operations. He has experience with global acquisitions for billion-dollar publically traded company and is able to identify areas of strength and weakness and implement company policies, standards, changes in operation and systems that optimize productivity and bottom-line. He has continually motivated staff to maximum productivity and control costs through the most-effective uses of manpower and available resources. Extensive knowledge of the intricacies of diverse industry and capable of making immediate improvements within operations.


Q: Are you familiar with Coal Ash Regulation?
Can you discuss the relationship / effect on the Waste Management business?
A: I am intimately familiar with the new impending regulations that will govern power and energy-production and like-type facilities. The (proposed) regulation is found in 40 CFR Parts 257, 261, 264 et al. The official title is going to be called Hazardous & Solid Waste Management System - Identification & Listing of Special Wastes - Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities.

In my free-time, I am presently working on an approach that may interest the majority of Coal-fired power-plants across the nation, as well as the disposal facilities (Landfills) that are currently receiving the wastestreams.

The immediate effect once the regulation takes full effect is immense! Methodologies that have been in-place for decades will become virtually illegal (or very costly) overnight. Costs will soar, and that will be passed-down to the energy consumer.

As a side-note, there are also other driving factors to be considered (specifically the Waxman Markey Bill) that introduced emissions and fugitive emission for ruling consideration relative to incineration and air-permitting.


Q: Please explain / detail what knowledge of Coal Ash Regulation is exactly?
A: The EPA intends to regulate CCRs generated by electric utilities and independent power producers that utilize coal. The proposed ruling will expand on current regulations of either Subtitle C or the Subtitle D.

I will suggest the 1st step would be to either email or perhaps FEDEX you a DVD with all the information I have collected to-date from every coal-fired power-plant in the nation. (Size over 1.4gb)

I have been following this ruling very closely, and have a wealth of information that you may wish to consider. There are many different proposed (or changing) regulations and committees, task-forces, etc. that also play into this. For example, the Carbon Capture and Storage Interagency Task Force that was created by our current government. The goal of this task-force is to goal is to develop a comprehensive and coordinated Federal strategy to speed the commercial development and deployment of clean coal technologies. Their goal is to ensure the cost-effective deployment of CCS within a decade or less, and bring up to 10 commercial projects online by 2015.
Q: Are you familiar with the Liquid Waste market, particularly brown grease and yellow cooking oil removing? If so, in what capacity?
A: Yes – Very familiar.
I have a multitude of contracts (both national and local) with organizations that are on both sides of this market segment. We provide services for both generators of the oil seeking recycle/reuse options as well as customers looking for tankers and rail-cars of material for processing.


Q: Can you discuss:
1. How the business operates
Yes – Although Biofuels and Biodiesel are the name most-commonly referred to when talking about brown, yellow, cooking, etc. oils, each is actually a completely different and unique form of recycling or production. Each type has its pros and cons, which we can discuss if this is information that you seek.
2.
How pricing works in this sector
Yes – Pricing for each is very different, and fluxuates differently in different regions of the US.
3.
Disposal Options
Yes – 99% of the time this is really “reuse” or recycling” (because disposal refers to a material that has reached end of life and has no further use other than “disposal”) whether by waste-water treatment, landfilling, incineration, etc.
4.
Recycle Options and the market for recycled products
(EXAMPLE: Selling recycled products into the Energy Markets)
Yes – There are multitudes of directions we can discuss here
5.
Infrastructure needs (IE: CAPEX)
Yes - capital expenditures are very similar in this market segment as any other refinery or processing industry. The primary difference is that there are many government programs, grants, and investment opportunities that are not available in the non-to acquire or upgrade physical assets such as equipment, property, or industrial buildings
6.
Channel Expansion (IE: Beyond grocery & restaurants)
Yes – Depending what direction you would like to go with this, we can spent as much (or as little) time as you want
7.
Similar service providers (IE: Wastewater)
Yes – I know 99% of the competitors in this space


Please elaborate on specific aspects you can discuss
A: There is quite a bit of information that I can provide regarding these topics.



Q: Can you speak to the logistics component to these businesses (IE: Coverage radius, Customer relationships) - (Contract-driven vs. Density of demand driven)? If so, please elaborate on what you can discuss
A: This specific component has become much more critical over the past several years due in no small part to the cost of fuel. Fuel requirements not specific just to the transportation of raw materials from point A to B, but also in the recycling processes. One example - Rail tanker cars are very popular now with rendering outfits filling cars in the Midwest and biodiesel outfits (located mainly on the Eastern or western coasts) receiving the recyclable raw materials in this manner to beat the high costs of transportation.



Q: What current legislative initiatives surrounding the industry can you discuss? Please list a few initiatives that you can elaborate on during a potential call with our client.
A: There are past regulations that are being reexamined for modification (Example: (EISA) - Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) that is supposed to be more supportive of this market.

From an EPA perspective, the material poses no environmental hazard under RCRA or CERCLA.

From a Health hazard, Bio-hazard regulations apply. Additionally, because much of the raw-materials come from the food industry, they are regulated under the respective requirements and guidelines of the FDA.

From an Energy independence standpoint, this market is in the “hot-seat” because of all the media coverage and escalating costs of fuel and energy. Both sides of the issue have valid arguments and even I, as a stout supporter of this industry, cannot overlook some of the opposition’s focal-points and arguments. Also, as the year 2020 is fast approDo you currently work within the U.S. Non-Hazardous Waste Industry?
I have been in the Waste Industry for over 20-years. During my tenure I have been deeply involved in both the Hazardous (RCRA), Non-Hazardous (Non-RCRA), and Municipal-Trash sides of the industry (including Recycling, Treatment, WTE, Landfill, Incineration, etc.). The Waste industry resembles the stock market in many ways, yet still maintains the cost vs. demand mindset in other ways.

Do you have knowledge of volume trends within the U.S. Non-Hazardous Waste Industry?
Non-Hazardous is a very broad term, and is often misunderstood. I have statistical information dating back to the mid 1990's up through 2009 with regard to pricing trends for Non-Hazardous wastestreams. I have information that statistically falls into several main categories: Landfill, Incineration, and recycling (or reuse). Included in this data are both the commercial and curbside residential collections, as well as industrial wastestreams.
Specific to the commercial-side; on a national footprint are the major players (WMX / Republic), as well as smaller organizations from the regional level. I am well-versed in both arenas.
Depending on the type of information you seek, I can discuss volume trends vs. contracts for municipalities and large customers as well as future outlook on waste reduction vs. recycling, etc. Unique to this industry over the last several years has been the annual increase in the recycling and Waste to Energy markets. There are several reasons for this that can be discussed.
Q: Can you provide our client with an overview as to how the EPA works? Include Regulatory and political impact? Can you discuss how EPA mandates (such as National Ambient Air-Quality Standards) are instituted? How do we know if the mandates will go into effect? What can Congress / President do to stop or slow implementation? How many jobs would be impacted by EPA Regulations (if high more political will to oppose the regs?
A: Definitely. I am very familiar with the regulatory impact pertaining to EPA. I can discuss departments within EPA that would see significant impact based (in-part) on executive or political decision-making.


Q: How far along in shutdowns does a Plant have to go before costs are prohibitive for it to be brought back online? What is the cost of compliance with Hazardous Air Pollutants and other EPA regulations (impact on marginal cost, fixed-costs of installing scrubbers, or purchasing emission allowances or other costs)?
A: There is a big difference between shutdown, turnover, and closure. Once a facility is in shutdown mode, they have a return-to-service date that must be met. Strictly from a logistical standpoint, the national power-grid is based-on continuous power generation being supplied from each of the power-generating facilities (Coal, Natural Gas, Nuclear) within the US and Canada. At this point in time, Green and alternative sources (including Solar, Geothermal, and Wind) are not included in the grid, but seen as supplemental sources. In short, a shutdown will always come back online unless an issue arises that forces ultimate closure. This costs even more money because the entity that physically “owns” the facility cannot simply walk away. There are millions of dollars worth of cleanup and closure work that must be completed. This will be managed by the EPA if not performed in accordance with current State/Local/Federal regulations. I can go into great detail with all the emissions costs vs. regulations, etc.


Q: Can you discuss the impact on Generation Market (maybe someone at EIA or other person with insight into the overall generation picture)?

What will the effect be on the mixed shift of generation (How much coal generation moves to Natural Gas or renewable).

How much coal regulation is expected to be shut down due to regulations?

How much coal generation has already been shutdown (excluding announced plans to shutdown, but has actually shutdown)?
A: I am very well-versed in the answers to these questions (in-so-much as I have been following the proposed changes to the Coal Impoundment and Fly-Ash regulations. I have been following the Waxman Markey Bill since its inception. I have volumes of information on DVD that I can send you relating to the exact above questions. It lists every single open Coal-fired Plant in the US, their operating capacity, and if they are going to remain open or potentially close due to the impending regulations. There is also a rebuttal from each active CFPP, complete with EPA’s ruling.
Q: What is your role in the E-Waste Market?
A: Clean Harbors is the largest full-service environmental company in North America. We own close to 100 disposal facilities, with many of these facilities taking-in materials for recycling. Strictly from an E-Waste standpoint, CHES competes with Waste Management’s Lamp-Tracker E-Waste Group, Regional Breaker & Switch outlets; Our company has seen a large increase of E-waste out of California with the recent passage of the SB20/SB50 recycling system.


Q: Can you speak to the industry structure?
Example: How do revenue streams work for E-Recycling Companies (who pays for waste)?
A: The E-Waste Industry is different that your basic recycling industry in that many of the streams have a high recycle value (or even resale onto the secondary markets). Many times, waste is brokered and a check is sent to the generator. (This could even be a municipality (as part of an HHW/E-Waste program). I can elaborate widely in this area.



Q: Can you speak to the current market size and growth trends in this space?
A: The E-Waste Industry is still in its infancy! The growth is exploding year after year. With our economy in the condition it is in, the recycling-side is seeing even more pressure to expand faster than recyclers can keep up. This space is going to continue to get bigger and more regulated in the near future and beyond.



Q: Which Electronic recycling firms are you familiar with?
A: There are many companies that compete in this space. I am familiar with so many of them. I would need to know if you are seeking intel on just the basic electronics recycling, or more oriented in the specifics of secondary markets. (I can discuss either in detail, but knowing in advance would put the correct files at my fingertips).

Can you discuss differentiators?
Absolutely.