Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. (GBB) is passionate about solid waste management. 
Indeed, anyone who has been in the industry for any length of time is likely to be familiar with the work of GBB. For 35 years, this international solid waste management consulting firm has been working with public and private sector organizations to develop practical and technically sound solutions for complex solid waste management challenges. Applying best management practices and customized solutions, GBB meets its client’s needs cost effectively. And, according to GBB, it holds “transparency and honesty” as a key value in its interactions with clients.
Why NERC
According to Bob Brickner, Executive Vice President, “joining NERC fits into GBB’s goals for promoting sustainable materials management and protecting our planet through best management practices. We see participating in NERC as value added for our customers and our goals.”
Balancing the Environment, Economy, and Community
GBB knows that management of solid waste has a direct impact on the health of the planet…not just for current generations, but for future ones as well. Best management practices treat solid waste as a valuable resource. Stated Brickner “at GBB, we regard solid waste as a valuable resource that can be creatively managed while protecting our soil, air, water and people. Designing and implementing projects for a more sustainable world requires that a balance be achieved between environmental, economic and community needs. Our focus is to achieve this balance with cost-effective, efficient and innovative solid waste solutions.”
GBB works with companies to incorporate sustainability strategies into their operations in order to achieve positive impacts in meeting their “triple bottom-line” goals of people, planet, and profits. GBB helps companies cost-effectively enhance their waste management system by showing them how to generate less waste, increase recycling, and recover energy, thereby providing long-term community benefits.
At the Forefront of Evolving Solid Waste Management
Through its long history in the industry, GBB has seen many changes—from Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) mandates on landfills, to EPA’s solid waste management hierarchy and the growing emphasis on materials management. The company successfully leverages its historic perspective and insight with the skills and entrepreneurial approach of its staff to develop innovative solutions necessary in today’s evolving world of materials management. GBB projects strive to integrate smart planning with effective management of solid waste services.
Well versed in emerging trends in solid waste management, including technologies that create renewable chemicals, fuels and energy from waste, GBB works with its clients to transition their operations to expand services, reduce costs, and to take advantage of these new technologies where feasible.
GBB has developed products to enhance operations, including Route Optimization Software and Services and Web-based Routing. The breadth of GBB’s projects is indicative of its considerable knowledge and experience. From waste-to-energy and collection routing to C&D compositional analysis and community stakeholder meetings, the company has done it all.
- GBB’s FleetRoute™ Service Bureau worked with the City of Baltimore, Maryland, to re-route its residential trash collection system. By optimizing routes, workdays, and equipment allocation, the City has saved up to six million dollars per year.
- In Maui County, Hawaii, GBB reviewed and audited the County’s contracted composting operations. The project included monitoring and testing, as well as gathering health and safety permits and other compliance data.
- GBB applied its expertise in contract development and the request for proposal (RFP)
process to work with the City of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. GBB was on hand to see the process through from the beginning, with development of a Strategic Plan for the City’s recycling program; the launch of a grassroots promotional campaign; and distribution of new single-stream carts distributed around the City. The results were an award-winning single-stream recycling program which provided greater convenience to residents and larger volumes of recyclable materials to move through the City’s newly constructed single-stream processing facility.
- In Guam, where a court order authorized GBB to manage and supervise the island’s
solid waste operations, the company cleaned up the transfer stations; installed new signage; and added recycling drop-off facilities. The company designed and implemented a new cart-based residential trash collection system and a public information strategy to maximize resident participation. GBB was instrumental in moving the island toward an environmentally sound integrated waste management system.