Meeting Information

Northwest NAHMMA Symposium

March 31, 2026
8:00 AM MDT - 5:00 PM MDT
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Tacoma, WA HHW Collection Facility tours in Puget sound area

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Northwest NAHMMA Symposium

Location: Tacoma, WA, Courtyard by Marriott Tacoma Downtown

Dates: 3/31 (PPA meeting and Evening Reception), 4/1 (All Day Symposium), 4/2 (HHW Tours or 8-hour refresher training) TOUR IS SOLD OUT!

Schedule of Events

Evening Reception - 3/31 (6-8pm)

Included in Symposium Registration

Pollution Prevention (PPA) meeting - 3/31 (8am-5pm)

Symposium - 4/1/26 (9am-5pm)

Morning plenary sessions:

Product replacement/safer alternatives panel

A panel of Pacific Northwest experts working on product replacement efforts will provide information and discussion on products such as: toxic free cosmetics, 6PPDQ in tires, fire fighting foam, block foam play pits, automotive degreasers, PFAS, and more.

Networking activity

Get ready to shake things up and make new connections! This speed networking activity will give you the chance to learn more about your colleagues and hear about the great work happening in the Northwest. This ice-breaker activity has been successfully used at the NAHMMA National Conference, and we are happy to bring it to the NW NAHMMA Chapter Symposium.

Lightning round

All symposium attendees are offered this chance to speak for 5- 10 minutes on any topic of interest, whether it is a recent accomplish or new initiative, or a question you may want to pose to the group. Slides optional.

Afternoon breakout sessions:

Paint

Suzette Danganan, Visions Paint, Overview of new Oregon operation and the company overall
Jim Quinn, Metro (Portland), “A history of MetroPaint: Why it closed and what the program accomplished over the years”
Cesar Barajas. PaintCare update

EPR parts 1 and 2

We’ve lined up presenters to address various EPR (extended producer responsibility) initiatives around the Northwest and elsewhere, on products such as batteries, e-waste, mercury-containing lamps, and more, over two sessions including:

HHW Operations Topics

Andrew Judkins, Metro (Portland),” How to disassemble a vape”
Dave Nightingale, Special Waste Associates, “Is HHW reuse risky? Results of a national survey”
Brennan Kessenich, Metro, “Categorizing unknown HHW materials: Tests and characteristic behaviors”

Sean Finney, The Battery Network, Powering a sustainable future
Shelly Fuller, Interchange 360, “What Happens After Approval? Launching the Nation's First Auto and Petroleum Container EPR Program”
Matthew Weintraub, King County, Rick Gilbert Kitsap County, EPR for all HHW
Blake Nelson, Washington Dept. of Ecology, overview of EPR programs and legislation in Washington

Tours - 4/2 - (8am-4pm)

Tour leader, David Nightingale

Thurston Hazohouse (Lacey, WA)

Grays Harbor MRW (Montesano, WA)

Lunch at Oyster House (Olympia, WA) on your own

Lewis County HazoHut (Centralia, WA)

8-Hour Refresher Training - 4/2 (8am-4pm)

In-person and virtual

Instructors: Ethan Bean/Martyn Quinn

Detailed Schedule

Session Content

lodging

Book your group rate for 2026 NW NAHMMA Symposium

Courtyard by Marriott Tacoma Downtown for 169.00 USD per night - Last Day to Book: Tuesday, March 03, 2026

Scholarships

The NAHMMA Northwest Chapter is offering scholarships to attend the Symposium. Apply by March 16, 2026.

Awards Nominations

As we all know, work in the HHW world can be a bit crazy at times. To recognize the strangest, scariest, and/or coolest thing that happened in recent years, NAHMMA gives the Golden Bung Awards for this, the "Lighter Side" of the field. If you have or know of any strange, quirky, ancient, and/or unknown items dropped off at a HHW facility or discovered during a field visit, please submit an awards nomination. Share your experiences and lessons learned, and we can all have fun and learn from your experiences.

Submissions are closed.

Tickets

$100.00 Symposium - April 1 (NAHMMA-Member)

$150.00 Symposium - April 1 (Non-Member)

$200.00 8-HR Refresher Training Course - In-Person - April 2 (NAHMMA Member)

$200.00 8-HR Refresher Training Course - Virtual - April 2 (NAHMMA Member)

$300.00 8-HR Refresher Training Course - In-Person - April 2 (Non-Member)

$300.00 8-HR Refresher Training Course - Virtual - April 2 (Non-Member)

$0.00 Pollution Prevention Meeting (Symposium, Tour or Training not included)

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