Global Waste Research Institute

Transforming waste into opportunities

Transforming waste into opportunities

 

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A Global Initiative for the Advancement of Waste and Byproduct Research

All human and industrial activities result in generation of waste and byproducts. In the U.S. alone, the amount of waste and byproducts generated on an annual basis is measured in hundreds of millions of tons. At GWRI, our mission is to advance the development of sustainable technologies and policies for more effective management of these materials.

Continual technological innovations and the emergence of new industries require ongoing development of strategies and effective adaptation of existing methods to improve waste management. New waste and byproduct streams, such as those containing nanoparticles, biological matter, and genetic material, pose unique challenges in comparison to more conventional forms of waste.

The research, development, and analysis conducted by GWRI provide critical links between the growing needs of public and industry, the environmental concerns of a global community, and the need to establish resources for future generations.

Related Content

Landfill Slide Series

The latest Landfill Slide Series© (LSS©) by Dr. Nazli Yesiller, Director of GWRI, is now available for educational use at academic institutions. The slide series contains information related to all aspects of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills including MSW facts; design, construction, operation, and closure of MSW landfills; and waste to energy conversion.

Landfill Slide Series

GWRI Spotlight

NSF REU Program Wastes and byproducts are ubiquitous materials that affect all members of society. The REU program engages undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, and collaborating engineering practitioners on interdisciplinary research related to the sustainable management and beneficial reuse of wastes and byproducts.

NSF REU Program

Waste Connections, Inc.

Waste Connections provided the seed money to Cal Poly to initiate the Global Waste Research Institute ("GWRI").

Ronald J. Mittelstaedt

Picture of the Month

3D Optical Interferometer Image. Photo: Mr. Derek Manheim. A stitched image of a textured geomembrane is presented. The image was obtained using an optical interferometer (Bruker NP-Flex) acquired by GWRI from a NSF grant. The optical interferometer allows for advanced surface texture quantification of most engineering materials.

Picture of the Months