Raleigh, NC (September 13, 2017) – Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s iconic community improvement nonprofit organization, and the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance scientific research and education for sustainable solid waste management practices, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines an agreement to join efforts on quantifying food waste in K-12 schools. In addition, the MOU outlines the organizations’ aim to provide tools and resources that help reduce school-based food waste.
EREF Blog
Tim Benter, John Casella and Mike de Castro Elected to EREF Board of Directors
Raleigh, NC (September 6, 2017) – The Board of Directors of the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) is pleased to announce the election of 3 new members:
- Tim Benter, Vice President, Engineering & Environmental Compliance at Republic Services
- John Casella, Chairman and CEO at Casella Waste Systems
- Mike de Castro, Executive Vice President, Supply Chain at Covanta
Waste Industries to Sponsor 2017 EREF Fall Classic & Networking Event and 3rd Annual Poker Tournament

Raleigh, NC (August 22, 2017) – The 2017 Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) Fall Classic & Networking Event – to be held Thursday, September 28, at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC – will be sponsored by Waste Industries. All proceeds from the tournament will support EREF’s mission to fund and direct scientific research and educational initiatives to establish sustainable waste management practices.
EREF Research Grants Pre-Proposals Accepted Now Through June 1
Raleigh, NC (May 23, 2017) – Pre-proposals for research grants from the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) may be submitted online now through June 1, 2017. Pre-proposals are required prior to submitting a full proposal and must be completed online. Mailed hard copies and email submissions will not be accepted.
SWANA & EREF Partner on Joint Needlestick Survey
Raleigh, NC (April 27, 2017) – The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) are conducting a joint research project to quantify and address the issue of needlestick injuries at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the United States and Canada.
EREF Annual Charitable Auction at WasteExpo Features New Items Up for Bid and Giveaways for Registered Bidders During Live Auction
Raleigh, NC (April 14, 2017) – The Environmental Research & Education Foundation’s (EREF) Annual Charitable Auction remains one of the highlights of WasteExpo, held May 8 – 11, 2017 in New Orleans. The exciting two-day event, which has raised $17 million since it began in 1994, consists of the Live and Silent Auctions featuring generous donations from waste industry organizations and provides opportunities to increase exposure at WasteExpo. Last year, the Auction raised over $1.6 million to support EREF’s mission to fund and direct scientific research and educational initiatives.
EREF and WasteExpo to Hold Summit on Leachate Treatment and Management at WasteExpo
Raleigh, NC (March 20, 2017) – The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) has partnered with WasteExpo to hold the 2017 EREF Summit, co-located with WasteExpo on Monday, May 8 in New Orleans, LA from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM CST.
The EREF Summit is focused on landfill leachate and will include presentations on managing and treating landfill leachate from private companies, consultants, and academic researchers. Leachate treatment is becoming more challenging and typically is one of the largest operating costs for landfill owners.
EREF-Funded Project Uses a Life-Cycle Analysis Model to Evaluate the Environmental Sustainability of Solid Waste Management Strategies
Raleigh, NC (March 7, 2017) – In the future, policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that affect the type of energy used in the U.S., as well as the cost of energy and emissions, could significantly impact the strategic direction of solid waste management (SWM). SWM systems must proactively adapt to changing waste composition, policy requirements, and an evolving energy system to cost-effectively and sustainably manage future solid waste.
In order to further examine the environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness of SWM strategies, the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) provided funding to North Carolina State University for a project entitled, “Integrated Solid Waste Management and Its Environmental Sustainability in a Carbon Constrained Environment.”
Graduate Scholarships in Solid Waste Research Available for the 2017-2018 Academic Year
Raleigh, NC (February 28, 2017) – The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) is one of the largest sources of solid waste research funding in the U.S., allocating approximately $1 million annually in research grants and graduate level scholarships.
Thus far, over 50 students have been EREF scholars, many of whom are now in key academic and professional positions across the U.S. EREF is pleased to announce that scholarship applications for the 2017-2018 academic year are now available. The application deadline is May 3, 2017 at 5:00 pm (eastern).
EREF’s Life-Cycle Analysis Workshop Examines Methods of Measuring Recycling and Diversion
Raleigh, NC (February 7, 2017) – Recently, policy makers, facility owners and other solid waste entities have engaged in discussion regarding whether mass is the best means to evaluate recycling and diversion practices versus a focus on measuring environmental burden through life-cycle analysis.
To establish dialogue and provide more information on this question, the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) is conducting a one-day Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) Workshop. The event will be held Thursday, April 6 from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM at 3301 Benson Drive (Renaissance One Building), 1st Floor (Garden Room) in Raleigh, NC.