View the division's white paper, "Waste-to-Energy: A Renewable Energy Source from Municipal Solid Waste", which was delivered to several elected legislators on Capitol Hill.

The former technical division known as the Solid Waste Processing Division has voted to change its name to the Materials And Energy Recovery Division, or the “MER Division of ASME. The new Name was approved unanimously by the 6 member division Executive Committee on October 22, 2009.

It’s guiding principle is "Engineers for Sustainable Waste Management".

The objectives of the MER Division reflected in their bylaws are:

1. To encourage and foster research and development that will advance the practice of sustainable waste management in the U.S. and abroad; and improve processes for maximum recovery of materials and energy from solid wastes.
    
2. Collect,  peer review, and disseminate accurate information on sustainable waste management and Materials and Energy Recovery from wastes through professional conferences.
    
3. Cooperate with other established professional organizations and groups in the development of codes and standards.
    
4. Establish and maintain liaison with universities, government, industry and environmental groups.
    
5. Promote proper management practices for the ultimate disposal of solid waste materials.

The MER Division's primary activities include co-sponsorship of its Annual North American Waste to Energy Conference (NAWTEC) and its supporting association with the Waste to Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERT) at Columbia University.