Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Waste Management (EESWM)

EESWM focuses on advancing sustainable solutions at the intersection of energy and the environment, with emphasis on recovering energy and materials from waste while minimizing environmental impact. Its scope also includes other key waste streams such as biomass, batteries, and plastics.

News & Updates

Over the past year (2024-2025) the leadership of the Materials & Energy Recovery (MER) Division, Environmental Services Division (ESD), and Research Committee on Energy, Environment, and Waste (RCEEW) worked together with the ASME TEC Sector Council to merge these three divisions as a new division, the Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Waste Management (EESWM) Division. The new EESWM Division will focus on advancing environmental solutions, mainly in the field of power generation from alternative fuels and energy sources. The Division will provide a platform for environmental topics such as air emissions and energy efficiency, sustainable waste management practices, extraction of energy and materials from alternate sources, and MSW, while minimizing their environmental impacts. EESWM has a combined history of more than 50 years within ASME. 

The EESWM will focus on sustainable waste management, energy and material recovery, environmental controls, and performance monitoring technologies. The EESWM will embrace the sustainable use of other waste streams such as recycled materials, biomass, batteries and plastics. The EESWM will enable members to develop expertise in energy and sustainability fields, including air emissions measurement, regulation, and energy efficiency. This EESWM will seek support and feedback or questions regarding EESWM initiatives and technical areas with its feedback form. 

Sustainable energy generation and materials management and promotion of environmental best practices are integral. Other activities that EESWM would participate in are technical support for ASME Standards and Code Committees and providing expert comment on pending government rules and regulations. The EESWM leadership is actively working on developing important projects and activities. The EESWM seeks feedback interest and support in its feedback form.  The EESWM values and invites your participation.  EESWM will share more information about its activities as it collaborates and moves forward in the coming year.
 
EESWM will focus on advancing sustainable solutions at the intersection of energy generation, alternative fuel utilization and materials management with emphasis on resolving related environmental issues in furthering sustainable energy generation and materials management. 

About

The Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Waste Management (EESWM) Division was created through the merger of the Material & Energy Recovery Division, Environmental Systems Division, and the Research Committee on Energy, Environment, and Waste.

EESWM focuses on advancing sustainable solutions at the intersection of energy and the environment, with emphasis on Environment focused on advancing environmental issues primarily in the field of power generation from alternative fuels and energy sources. The division will also provide a platform for environmental topics such as air emissions and energy efficiency. 

Honors & Awards

Society Level Awards

Dixy Lee Ray Award
Dixy Lee Ray was a prime supporter of technology and a friend of ASME. Dr. Ray was trained as a marine biologist, held a number of elected and appointed positions and received a number of awards. The Division has proposed to establish a principal environmental engineering award of ASME to be named after Dr Ray .The proposal to the Committee of Honors envisions an award to be given not only those who have contributed to environmental engineering but also those who have contributed to other environmental areas. The Division has provided the necessary funds to endow the Dixy Lee Ray Award. Within the Division, the Honors and Awards Committee will be responsible for administrative activities supporting the Dixy Lee Ray Award. The Award will be conferred at the Dixy Lee Ray Symposium.

Division Level Award

Floyd Hasselriis Pioneer Award
Floyd Hasselriis Pioneer Award was begun in 2003 as a joint effort between the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Research Committee on Energy, Environment, and Waste (then known as the Research Committee on Industrial and Municipal Waste) and the International Conference on Incineration & Thermal Treatment Technologies (IT3).
The award is for pioneering work and outstanding contributions in the field of incineration and/or thermal treatment technologies, over an extended period of time spanning a minimum of three decades. Supporting factors for selecting among nominees include an individual's accomplishments involving high technical content, uniqueness and originality of the contributions, practical application of the contributions, publications, leadership, and active participation in ASME. In 2015 the name of the award was changed from the "Pioneer Award" to the "Floyd Hasselriis Pioneer Award" in recognition of Floyd Hasselriis, the first recipient of this award, in honor of his lifetime contributions to the fields of combustion and thermal treatment technologies.

The award recipient is presented with a commemorative plaque during the IT3 Conference, and is asked to give a brief talk, reflecting on their lifetime experiences in the area of combustionincineration and/or thermal treatment technologies.

Links

Links to helpful online resources related to the division are below. If you have suggestions for other resources, please contact the division chair or ASME staff.

  • ASME Landmarks Program
    Landmarks, sites and collections of historic importance to mechanical engineering are designated by ASME through its History and Heritage Landmarks Program.
  • ASME History and Heritage
    ASME fosters the preservation of mechanical engineering innovations used in a wide range of applications through its History and Heritage program.

Other Links of Interest

Leadership

EESWM Interim Executive Committee

Marco J. Castaldi, Chair
The City College of New York

Ray Merrill, Vice Chair
Retired, US EPA

Lauren Creadore, Secretary
The City College of New York

Stephanie Bolyard, Treasurer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

Laura Herrera,Senior Manager, Technical & Engineering Communities (TEC) Operations
ASME Staff Liaison