Waste Management Inc., Houston, announced that its board of directors has elected Tom Weidemeyer as chairman of the board.

“We are extremely pleased that Tom has accepted the role of chairman of Waste Management’s board of directors,” Jim Fish, president and chief executive officer of Waste Management, says. “Tom has been a valuable member of the Waste Management board of directors for many years, and his operational and leadership experience position him well to lead our board.”

“I am honored to have been elected as chairman of the board of this exceptional company,” Weidemeyer says. “Since joining the board in 2005, I’ve seen Waste Management execute extremely well on its strategy and deliver outstanding financial and operational performance. I’m excited to continue to work with our strong board and management team to execute on our strategy and deliver shareholder value.”

Weidemeyer, who retired from United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS), Atlanta, as senior vice president and chief operating officer, was first elected to Waste Management’s board of directors in 2005. Over the past thirteen years, Weidemeyer has served on the board’s Audit Committee, Management Development and Compensation Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee, most recently also serving as the chairman of the latter committee. As board chairman, Weidemeyer will serve on all three committees of the board.

Weidemeyer has over 15 years of experience as a member of public company boards of directors and currently also serves as a director of NRG Energy, Inc., Houston; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio; and Amsted Industries Incorporated, Chicago.

The Toxics Action Center and Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire May 14 against Rutland, Vermont-based Casella Waste Systems Inc. and North Country Environmental Services Inc., Bethlehem, New Hampshire, for allegedly illegally discharging pollutants from the Bethlehem Landfill into the nearby Ammonoosuc River.

The Bethlehem Landfill is operated by Casella, one of the largest waste collection firms in the Northeast, and its subsidiary North Country Environmental Services. The lawsuit comes after residents of Bethlehem rejected Casella’s bid to expand the size of the landfill in March. 

The suit alleges that a drainage channel owned and operated by the defendants collects leachate and contaminated groundwater from the landfill and discharges it into the river, in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. These discharges contain elevated levels of iron, manganese, and 1,4-dioxane, according to the environmental groups.

“Casella has a track record of releasing harmful contaminants into the environment, and this is not the first time the company has failed to protect New England waterways,” Woody Little, the Vermont and New Hampshire community organizer of Toxics Action Center, says. “Residents are rightfully concerned about the health of the river, which is part of why they voted in March against the expansion of the landfill. That’s the twelfth time Bethlehem has voted against expansion in 31 years. We’re proud to stand with them today.”

As alleged in the suit, the Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of pollutants from sources like the landfill’s drainage channel unless the discharger has gone through the process of obtaining a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Neither Casella nor North Country Environmental Services has applied for, or received, such a permit, the environmental organizations contend.

“Casella must finally be held responsible for its illegal discharges of pollutants into the Ammonoosuc River,” Tom Irwin, director of the CLF New Hampshire, says. “Unfortunately, this pollution is another sign that landfills are dangerous and not a sustainable solution to our waste problems. It’s time to stop expanding toxic landfills and start protecting communities by reducing waste at its source through recycling and other efforts.”

“We rejected the landfill expansion because we believe in a better future for our families and our town,” Kristina Zontini, member of the Toxics Action Center and cofounder of the community group Growing Without Garbage, says. “Now that we know the landfill is leaking, we’re fighting to protect that future.”

Owego, New York-based Upstate Shredding-Weitsman Recycling announced May 17 that it has hired two senior-level executives to lead operations and finance for the company. Company CEO Adam Weitsman announced the hiring of Jack Canty as chief operating officer and Timothy Rake as chief financial officer. Both executives bring years of experience in their respective fields and will help position Upstate Shredding-Weitsman Recycling for additional growth and expansion in the latter half of 2018 and into 2019, the company says.

As COO, Canty will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s operations at all 17 locations. In this role, he will serve as a member of the corporate management team contributing to the development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies and practices to strengthen organizational excellence and ensure that industry standards are exceeded. He will also be directly involved in all aspects of the operation of all facilities providing oversight and leadership, ensuring that the highest levels of ethical conduct and professional standards are maintained by all company personnel. He will also work hand-in-hand with the chief security officer and all local and state law enforcement agencies to prevent the sale of stolen scrap metal and assist in the apprehension of those selling stolen goods.

Canty brings over 25 years of global experience in both finance and operations to the position. He has experience with business turnarounds, the purchase and sale of major businesses, post-acquisition integrations, business systems implementations and business process redesign projects. Canty previously held positions as director/consultant at JC Jones and Associates, Pittsford, New York; CFO at Agway Energy Products, Syracuse, New York; division controller at ITT Industries, White Plains, New York; and VP of operations at Advanced Motors and Drives, East Syracuse, New York. Canty is a Certified Turnaround Professional (CTP) and a New York State CPA. He earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting from Alfred University. He is a member of the Turnaround Management Association and serves on the boards of Strategic Communications LLC, Syracuse, New York, and the Leo A. Pinckney Scholarship Fund.

In his newly appointed position, Rake will be accountable for the administrative, financial and risk management operations of the company, including the development of a financial and operational strategy, metrics tied to that strategy and the ongoing development and monitoring of control systems designed to preserve company assets and report accurate financial results. The hire comes on the heels of a new heavy media plant being commissioned as well as additional technology systems being built and installed at the company’s primary processing facility in Owego. Rake will also be responsible for controllership duties, which include presenting and reporting accurate and timely historical financial information of the company as well as overseeing the capital structure of the company, determining the best mix of debt, equity and internal financing.

Prior to joining the company, Rake served as tax manager for 12 years at Syracuse, New York-based Firley, Moran, Freer & Eassa and was at London-based Pricewaterhouse Coopers prior to that. He is a CPA and holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in accounting and finance from the University of Buffalo.

Bandit Industries Inc., Remus, Michigan, and Leimbach, Germany-based ARJES GmbH announced they are partnering to bring ARJES’ line of slow-speed shredders and crushers to Bandit customers worldwide.  

Bandit is adding ARJES’ select models of slow-speed industrial shredders and stone crushers to its lineup of heavy-duty large equipment that already includes The Beast horizontal grinders, whole-tree chippers and track carriers. Bandit large equipment dealers from select markets will offer sales, service and parts on ARJES machines. Those Bandit dealers will be introduced to ARJES equipment in early June at Bandit’s mid-Michigan facilities.

“ARJES equipment fits perfectly in our full product line,” Bandit Sales Manager Jason Morey says. “ARJES believes in the same principles that guide Bandit Industries: build machines strong and stand behind customers every step of the way. It’s what both of our companies have done—Bandit for 35 years and ARJES for more than 10 years—and it’s what we’ll continue to do.”

The ARJES VZ 950 Titan slow-speed shredder can handle material of nearly any kind, the company says. The 950 comes standard with a Volvo 700 horsepower Bandit Tier 4 Final engine. Special designs help these shredders operate more efficiently, stretching out every gallon of fuel and extending the life of cutting tools. The VZ 950 Titan can handle material ranging from waste wood and logs to domestic and industrial waste and scrap metal/car bodies.

ARJES stone crushers come with a Volvo 220 horsepower Tier 4 Final engine and consolidate rock-crushing power in a compact package. The tracked unit makes it easy to position in work yards and on job sites, and the machine’s special two-stage crushing process handles the hardest materials, from rubble, concrete, asphalt and stones.

Learn more about ARJES machines by visiting Bandit online or contact Bandit directly at (800)952-0178.