YP Spotlight: Matthew Karmel

The SWANA Young Professionals (YP) group continues to grow and expand across the country. SWANA YP members have been busy this past year speaking at SWANA events, leading teams, mentoring students and making strides in every aspect of the industry. Let’s get to know some of these upcoming industry leaders!

Meet Matthew Karmel – Counsel – Environmental Practice Group

Matthew is Counsel as part of the Environmental Practice Group at Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP. He graduated from Fordham University School of Law with a Juris Doctor in Law in 2013. Matthew has a special interest in applying law to sustainability efforts. He represents a wide variety of businesses engaged in waste management and organics recycling. He also provides pro bono representation to nonprofits expanding community composting and food rescue in New Jersey, and he helped to form NJ Composting Council where he continues to serve as Trustee and Chair of the Advocacy Committee.

This year, he was recognized by Waste360 as a 40 Under 40 winner. Additionally, he was listed in Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” List for Environmental Law in 2021 and 2022 and as a “Rising Star” at the 2021 Recycling Awards. He writes and speaks regularly on topics relating to waste management, including through Waste Dive, Waste360, BioCycle, WasteExpo, US Composting Council Rutgers University, the Montclair State University Institute for Sustainability Studies, and Fordham University School of Law.

Matthew has presented at the 2019 SWANA NJ Conference on Organics Recycling and the 2022 SWANA NJ Conference on Environmental Justice. When asked about his experience as a YP member of SWANA, Matthew said, “SWANA gave me one of my first chances to speak at a regional conference! Since then, I've spoken at regional and national conferences relating to waste management. The opportunity (and exposure) SWANA gave me helped me to advance my career!”