“Chip” Shaw brings deep landfill operations expertise to Rochem Americas

Rochem Americas, a major provider of Reverse Osmosis landfill leachate systems, welcomes experienced landfill operator “Chip” Shaw to the team.

“Chip brings 16 years of experience with a major, 283 acre landfill, so that our customers know that the solutions he proposes are based on sound operational knowledge,” says Bernie Rieder, General Manager of Rochem Americas. “Chip knows the issues landfill operators face and can help them meet those challenges.”

Chip is now Rochem Americas’ Midwest Sales and Operations Manager, based in Kalamazoo MI. His responsibilities will include serving customers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. He will also manage the Rochem Service group, supporting Service Technician Jeffrey Williams.

Chip started in the industry in 2007 as Compliance Manager at Orchard Hill Sanitary Landfill in central Michigan, where he conducted regular compliance audits to ensure adherence to environmental and safety regulations.

From 2012 to 2023, Chip was Operations Manager at Orchard Hill, where he oversaw daily operations of the landfill site, including waste disposal, and site and equipment maintenance, leading a team of 23 employees.

In this role, Chip became familiar with Rochem Americas leachate treatment systems. Part of his work was to help install the landfill’s first 40,000 gallon Rochem system in 2011. With results of this system satisfactory, Orchard Hill installed a second 40,000 gallon treatment system in 2015, plus a high pressure unit to increase throughput, which also increased total recovery of residue to over 90 percent.

“I’ve seen what Rochem RO systems can do in terms of treating leachate reliably, and I’m glad to be part of the team making them available to other landfills dealing with similar leachate issues,” says Chip. “They can take out a broad spectrum of contaminants, including PFAS which is of concern to many operators now. I also like the way Rochem systems are a complete solution, so that landfill operators can rely on them to help them meet their regulatory responsibilities.”

Rochem’s Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology uses pumps to push the liquid up against a semi-permeable membrane. Water molecules are small enough to slip through the membrane, while larger contaminant particles and molecules – including PFAS – stay on the “residual” side of the barrier. RO is a proven technology for treating landfill leachate.  Systems that have been in place for over 30 years, well before PFAS was on any landfill operator’s radar, have demonstrated their ability to completely remove PFAS to less than detection limits.

Chip can be reached at tel. +1.269.270.4238; chip@rochemamericas.com.

 To learn more:

www.rochemamericas.com

Bernie Rieder

bernie@rochemamericas.com

Tel. +1.574.360.4535