Matthew Brunstrum is the founder and chief executive officer of Lakeside Acquisitions, a Chicago-based mergers and acquisitions advisory firm focused on privately held companies in the waste and recycling industry. Drawing on experience as a senior mergers and acquisitions advisor and as director of mergers and acquisitions for a multi-billion-dollar waste management company, Matthew Brunstrum has participated in more than 100 transactions across multiple industries. He works closely with business owners, buyers, accountants, attorneys, and wealth managers to structure efficient deals that maximize client value. His background in waste and recycling sector transactions provides relevant perspective on recycling trends, sustainability initiatives, and the economic importance of improving recycling participation across the United States.
The United States celebrated the 28th annual America Recycles Day on November 15, 2025. In some ways, recycling trends in the US have not changed much since the launch of the holiday in 1997, when the national recycling rate had largely stagnated at about 28 percent. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the nation’s recycling rate was 32 percent in 2025.
Americans can significantly improve in several areas, particularly in recycling rates for post-consumer plastic, which remain below 10 percent. Recycling plastic is critically important to national and global efforts to reduce waste and conserve resources. Fortunately, positive recycling trends in the US include nearly three-quarters of households having access to recycling, meaning most Americans should be able to improve their plastic recycling habits if they want.
American households can also help the nation reach its 90 percent aluminum can recycling target by 2030. While the current rate stands at over 45 percent, significant environmental and economic benefits are possible if more households consistently recycle aluminum cans. Americans can start making tangible impacts by ensuring every aluminum can ends up in the recycling bin, and urging others in the community to join this effort to move closer to the national goal.
About Matthew Brunstrum
Matthew Brunstrum is a Chicago-based executive and founder of Lakeside Acquisitions, a mergers and acquisitions advisory firm specializing in privately held companies within the waste and recycling sector. He previously served as a senior mergers and acquisitions advisor at a boutique advisory firm and as director of mergers and acquisitions for a publicly traded waste management company. An Indiana University Bloomington business graduate, he has helped facilitate more than 100 transactions throughout his career.
