Co-Founder

Education:

• BS, Civil Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA

Areas of Expertise:

System reviews; technical and economic evaluations of project opportunities; C&D recycling and management; procurement evaluations and negotiations.

“I find satisfaction in helping advance the local decision-making process on solid waste issues and making an environmental contribution, even though we are typically invisible to the public served.”

Mr. Brickner has more than 40 years of experience in the solid waste management field. He is an expert in solid waste handling systems, including collection and processing equipment, especially equipment costs and systems analysis. He is well versed in cost allocation methods and economic/financial modeling, and life-cycle costing. He has served as the lead evaluator for GBB on many systemwide evaluations and vendor solicitations, and as lead negotiator on numerous projects that have been financed. He has authored independent reports for bond sales and has made supportive presentations to rating agencies on Wall Street. He has presented expert witness testimony at arbitration proceedings and permit hearings on waste-related programs.

Mr. Brickner has conducted hundreds of field visits to review local collection programs (for trash, recyclables and brush) and solid waste management programs (including materials recovery facilities (MRFs), waste-to-energy facilities, C&D recycling systems, transfer stations, and landfill facilities) in the United States, and abroad. He has written numerous articles, lectured at many national solid waste conferences, and served for four years as a contributing editor to an industry magazine.

Over the years, with his extensive solid waste management industry expertise, he has assisted law firms with expert testimony and litigation support services.

Prior to helping form GBB in 1980, Mr. Brickner was a solid waste applications engineer for Combustion Engineering, Inc. (1972-1975), National Sales Manager for the Solid Waste Division of Allis Chalmers (1975-1979), and a Managing Director of Gordian Associates, Inc. in Washington, D.C. (1979-1980).

 

Publications & Speeches

“Are You Considering a Waste Composition Study? … Why and for What?,” published in MSW Management magazine. (May 2016)

“Waste Not – Processing for Maximum Energy Recovery,” (moderator) presented at the Renewable Energy from Waste Conference. (November 2015)

“MWP: Do You Doggie-Paddle to It or Swim Free Style?,” published in MSW Management magazine. (November 2015)

“Mixed Waste Processing session,” (moderator) presented at the Paper & Plastics Recycling Conference. (October 2015)

“Public – Private Partnerships: The Consultant Side of the P-P Equations,” presented at the WASTE360 Recycling Summit. (September 2015)

“Let’s Get Honest … MWP Has a Place in the Big Pond with All the Alligators!” (co-authored with Brad Kelley) published in MSW Management magazine. (September 2015)

“Drowning in Non-Collected Recyclables… Where’s the Life Vest?” (co-authored with Lois Clarke) published in MSW Management magazine. (July 2015)

“Mixed Waste Processing… When Dirty is Not Dirt,” presented at the Maryland Recycling Network & SWANA Mid-Atlantic Conference.(June 2015)

“If at the End of a Diving Board… Should You Take the Next Step?” (co-authored with Elizabeth Rice) published in MSW Management magazine. (June 2015)

“Biomass and Waste Gasification Advances,” presented at the Gasification Technologies Conference.. (October 2014)

“Mechanical Biological Treatment: What it Is & How It’s Done,” presented at the Virginia Recycling Association Annual Conference. (May 2014)

“Waste Conversion Market,” presented at the Gasification Technologies Council Member Meeting and Workshop. (February 2014)

“Mechanical Biological Treatment: What it Is & How It’s Done,” presented at the Municipal Waste Management Association Fall Summit. (October 2013)

“An Industry Perspective… Waste-to-Energy and Alternative Conversion Technologies,” presented as the Carolina Recycling Association Conference. (April 2013)

“Waste-to-Waste OR Waste-of-Energy,”presented at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Webinar. (January 2013)

“Alternatives Views,” presented at C&D Recycling Forum. (September 2012)

“Alternatives to Landfilling: Waste-to-Energy,” presented at the Environment Virginia Symposium. (September 2012)

“Fauquier County Digs Recycling: C&D Mining to Extend Landfill Life,”presented at the Environment Virginia Symposium. (April 2012)

Keynote speaker at Environmental Business Council Construction & Demolition Materials Regional Summit. (January 2012)

“Historical Overview of Waste-to-Energy in the USA,” presented as part of AlChE’s Institute for Sustainability and Greener Package Webinar. (December 2011)

“Overcoming On-Site Challenges,”presented at the Southeast Construction & Demolition Debris Recycling Conference. (December 2011)

“Emerging Technologies and Horizon Issues/Industry,” presented at the Waste-to-Energy Exchange – Organized by the Institute for Sustainability / American Institute of Chemical Engineers. (November 2011)

“Status Report: Status of Waste Conversion Technologies & Applicability to C&D,” presented at C&D Recycling Forum. (September 2011)

“Overview of Regulations Spurring on C&D Waste Processing/Recycling Facility,” presented at C&D Recycling Forum. (September 2011)

“Status Report: Resurgence of WTE and Status of Waste Conversion Technologies,” presented via Webinar to Durham Engineer’s Club. (September 2011)

“Status of Waste Processing Technologies,” presented via Webinar to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (September 2011

“Construction and Demolition Debris Management,” (moderator) presented at WASTECON. (August 2011)

“The Winners’ Circle,” Recycling Today. (June 2011)

“Behind the scenes: Sneak peak at procurement of innovative recycling & waste-to-fuel conversion system expected to yield 80% diversion,” presented at the North American Waste-to-Energy Conference.(May 2011)

“Alexandria/Arlington Waste to Energy Facility,” presented at the Environment Virginia Symposium. (April 2011)

“Biomass Energy Report: Winners and Losers,” Construction & Demolition Recycling magazine. (March/April 2011)

“Opportunities for Recycling C&D,” Webinar presented as part of a Lorman Education Services event. (January 2011)

“A Chronology of the C&D Waste Industry – 1990-2010,” Presented at C&D Recycling Forum. (October 2010)

“The Energy Market: How Great is the Potential?,” Presented at C&D Recycling Forum. (October 2010)

“Achieving 98.5% Reuse and Recycling of old WTE Plant Case Study: Nashville Thermal,” Presented at C&D Recycling Forum. (October 2010)

“Saving 15% and Beating High Fuel Collection Costs – One contract better than 12 for authority outside Detroit, MI,” Presented at WASTECON. (August 2010)

“Behind the Scenes: Historic Agreement to Develop U.S. Virgin Islands’ First Alternative Energy Facilities,” Presented at NAWTEC.(May 2010)

“State of Construction/Demolition Debris Recycling,” Guest lecturer – Sustainability course at Catholic University. (May 2010)

“Waste-to-Energy and Conversion Technologies in the U.S.” Presented at Waste Expo.(May 2010)

“Opportunities for Recycling Construction Waste and Demolition Debris,” Webinar presented as part of a Lorman Education Services event. (January 2010)

“Building a Future for Construction and Demolition Debris,” Webinar presented as part of a Lorman Education Services event. (January 2009)

“Recycling and Green Building: A Solid Connection,” Presented at the Southeast Recycling Development Council Recycling 2008 Summit. (November 2008)

“Insider’s Insight: State-of-the-Art C&D Recycling Facility in Fauquier County, VA,”  Presented at the Old Dominion Chapter of SWANA annual conference. (June 2008)

“Opportunities for Recycling Construction Waste and Demolition Debris,” Webinar presented as part of a Lorman Education Services event. (May 2008)

“Saving 15% and Beating High Fuel Collection Costs,” Presented at the Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations Conference. (May 2008)

“Gypsum Recovery from C&D Debris,”Presented at the Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Waste Management SWANA New Jersey Spring Conference. (April 2008)

“Construction and Demolition Debris Management,” presented at Chartwell/Envirobiz 2008 Waste Industry Summit. (February, 2008)

“Insider’s Insight: State-of-the-Art C&D Recycling Facility in Fauquier County, VA,” Presented at SWANA’s Thinking Outside the Blue Box. (February, 2008)

“Energy from wood waste in NJ,”Presented at Perfect Storm Bioenergy Forum. (October, 2007)

“How to Sell Your Rate Increase to Community Decision Makers,” Presented at Wastecon. (October, 2007)

“RFID Technology for Transfer Stations: An Overview,” Presented at the Maryland Recyclers Coalition & SWANA’s Mid Atlantic Chapter Joint Conference. (June 2007)

“Optimizing Collection & Recovery,” Presented at EPA’s Midwest Urban Recycling Forum. (May 2007)

“RFID tagging and GPS accountability in Pasadena, California,” Presented at the Virginia Recycling Association 2007 Annual Conference. (May 2007)

“RFID tagging and GPS accountability in Pasadena, California,” Presented at SWANA’s Thinking Outside the Blue Box – Special Waste & Recycling Conference. (February 2007)

“Insider’s Insight: Procurement of New State-of-the-Art C&D Recycling Facility,” presented at Southeast Recycling Development Council & Tennessee Recycling Coalition Joint Southeast Regional Conference. (February 2007)

“Achieving 98.5% Reuse and Recycling of Old WTE Plant,” presented at the EPA’s Land Revitalization Summit, Sustainable Development Session. (October 2006)

“10 Million Curbside Carts…But Why Are We Counting?” presented at NRC’s 25th Annual Congress and Exposition. (October 2006)

“BioCycle Q&A: Tracking Trends in C&D Debris Recycling,” published in BioCycle. (July 2006)

“Innovative Approaches,” presented for the US EPA at the 2006 National Corrective Action Conference, Rhode Island Convention Center. (June 2006)

“Saving Money Through the Integration of Reuse, Recycling and Organized Demolition Techniques,” presented at the Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations Conference. (May 2006)

“Disaster Debris & Construction Waste: It is Quantity and Quality,” presented at SWANA New Jersey Spring Conference. (April 2006)

“City of Pasadena’s Integrated Waste Management Data Collection and Routing System Project,” presented at USDOC Environmental Team Training. (April 2006)

“Achieving 98.5% Reuse and Recycling of old WTE Plant,” presented at WasteExpo 2006. (April 2006)

“Spotlight on LEED; The Role of the Demolition Contractor in a LEED Project – Achieving 98.5% Reuse and Recycling of old WTE Plant,” presented at 2006 National Demolition Association Convention. (March 2006)

“Old bricks, new build,” Waste Management World. (March-April 2006)

“Streamlining Operations – Upgrading a C&D Management Facility,” published in BioCycle. (March 2006)

“The Metro Nashville Thermal Demolition Success Story,” presented at SWANA’S Taking Recycling to a Whole New Level Conference. (February 2006)

“Achieving 98.5% Reuse/Recycling of old WTE Plant,” presented at 2006 Waste Management National Meeting, Session: Brownfields Revitalization. (January 2006)

“C&D … Background & Issues,” presented at 2006 Waste Management National Meeting, Session: Recycling of Industrial Wastes.(January 2006)

“City of Pasadena’s Integrated Waste Management Data Collection and Routing System Project,” presented at GIS Day. (November 2005)

“Achieving 98.5% Reuse/Recycling of old WTE Plant,” presented at the Brownfield’s Conference. (November 2005)

“C&D Recycling,” presented at SWANA’s Buckeye Chapter Annual Meeting/Seminar. (September 2005)

“Recycling rates reached,” published in Public Works. (September 2005)

“Saving Money on Demolition Projects Through the Integration of Reuse, Recycling and Organized Demolition Techniques,” presented at the APWA Convention. (May 2005)

“Introduction and Application of Innovative Mobile C&D Waste Recycling System,” presented at the Southern Bio-Products Conference. (March 2005)

“Addressing the Challenge of Increasing Commercial Business-based Recycling in a Cost-Effective Manner,” presented at SWANA’s Collection & Transfer Symposium. (February 2005)

“Building Demolition and Salvage of C&D,” Radio guest panelist on The Kojo Nnamdi Show – appeared on WAMU 88.5 FM Public Radio. (December 2004)

“New Mobile C&D Debris Recycling System,” presented at SWANA’s WASTECON. (September 2004)

“Management and Recycling of C&D,” presented at the Illinois Recycling Association. (June 2004)

“U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Requirements for C&D Waste as it Pertains to Sustainable Building Certification,“ presented to the Tidewater Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute. (March 11, 2003)

“Music City Showdown (Nashville project compares benefits of re-using segregated and salvaged materials),“ published in Recycling Today. (2003, February)

“Music City Showdown (Nashville project compares benefits of re-using segregated and salvaged materials),“ published in C&D Recycler. (2003, January/February)

“Innovative Portable C&D Waste Recycling System,” presented at the C&D World Exhibition & Conference at the Wyndham Resort & Spa. (January 20, 2003)

“Waste-To-Energy Plant Icon Goes Up In Blaze…,“  published in Demolition. (2002, November/December)

“Recycling of Construction and Demolition Waste, Status and Issues in the USA,” published in Waste Management World. (September-October 2002)

“Status of C & D Recycling,” presented at the Spring Technical Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of SWANA.. (March 8, 2002)

“Construction & Demolition Management … A National Overview,” presented at the Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations’ Solid Waste/Recycling Conference & Trade Show. (May 8, 2001)

“Construction & Demolition Management … Alternative C&D Recycling Technologies,” presented at the Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations’ Solid Waste/Recycling Conference & Trade Show. (May 8, 2001)

“Economics of Construction & Demolition Recycling — Markets,” presented at the Association of Ohio Recyclers’ (AOR) Construction & Demolition Statewide Environmental Workshop. (January 24, 2001)

“National C&D Recycling Systems” presented at Virginia Recycling Association’s annual conference.. (November 14, 2000)

“Papermill Sludge Recycling and Energy Production System,” presented at SWANA’s WASTECON.. (October 25, 2000)

“Current Practices and Needs of the C&D Industry,” presented at National Recycling Coalition. (September 12, 2000)

“Review of C&D Waste Processing and Recycling Systems,” speaker at the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of SWANA. (August 10, 2000)

“Review of C&D Waste Materials and Composition Studies,” speaker at the Maryland Recycling Conference. (June 8, 2000)