WASHINGTON, DC – Scott Breen, vice president of sustainability, Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) was named as one of the 2022 Waste360 40 Under 40 Winners. The Waste360 program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics have made a significant contribution to the industry.

After receiving a law degree and masters of public affairs where his studies focused on environmental issues, Scott’s career has been in the environmental and sustainability space. His achievements with the Beyond 34 recycling initiative at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation included a successful pilot in Orlando, FL, as well as a fully-funded ambitious expansion effort in other communities to catalyze local recycling efforts. While at CMI, Scott has executed on activities that meaningfully increase and improve metal can recycling, often with partnerships he helped form.

“Scott is our thought leader and policy formulator on all aspects of CMI’s sustainability narrative,” said CMI President Robert Budway. “He is recognized by CMI’s members as the definitive resource on packaging sustainability matters. Scott’s intellectual curiosity and keen ability to bring diverse parties together is an invaluable asset to our organization.”

Scott is also the creator and co-host of “Sustainability Defined,” a podcast that focuses each episode on a different sustainability concept. They first break down the concept with diligent research and then further explore it with the help of an expert in the field. The podcast’s monthly episodes are downloaded in all 50 U.S. states and over 100 countries with its more than 65 episodes nearing 500,000 total downloads.

Waste360 is the leading information, event, commerce and education provider to the solid waste, recycling, organics and sustainable communities and plays a critical role in connecting industry professionals worldwide. It included a piece about why Scott was selected on its site and will interview him for a standalone article at some point this year.

Can Manufacturers Institute

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) is the national trade association of the metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers in the United States. The can industry accounts for the annual domestic production of approximately 130.7 billion food, beverage and general line cans; employs more than 28,000 people with plants in 33 states, Puerto Rico and American Samoa; and generates about $15.7 billion in direct economic activity. CMI members are committed to providing safe, nutritious and refreshing canned food and beverages to consumers in the most sustainable packaging. For more information, visit cancentral.com.