Waste Wisdom: Douglas Gatrell

For about 23 years, Douglas Gatrell has worked as an engineer at GHD in Plymouth, Michigan. GHD is one of the world's leading professional services companies operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation.

Prior to his current position, Gatrell worked as a senior project engineer and manager for EMCON, where his job took him to work on solid waste projects throughout western United States. He served as a discipline leader for landfill gas and a manager of the landfill gas design service group.

In his position with GHD, Gatrell has served as an experienced design engineer in the solid waste industry, having worked throughout the United States— – including Alaska and Hawaii—on various applications that include landfill siting and master planning/permitting, landfill gas utilization, and construction.

Other projects in which Gatrell has been involved include waste-to-energy, landfill gas collection and utilization, and construction quality assurance work.

Additionally, Gatrell also has been providing design services for the Natural Resource Conservation Service, which is engaged in agricultural applications involving waste management and irrigation projects in the western United States, including dam restoration and three miles of irrigation pipeline design.

Gatrell earned an BSCE in civil engineering and a MSCE in environmental engineering from Michigan State University, where he was a member of Chi Epsilon, an American civil engineering honor society that honors U.S. engineering students who have exemplified the principles of scholarship, character, practicality, and sociability in the civil engineering profession.

He is a registered professional engineer in 18 states.

Rant: What is your biggest pet peeve about your job and/or the industry?

“A pet peeve of mine is the discrepancy between graduating engineers and engineers starting their first jobs; breaking the traditional Q & A at the university level, including courses with design credits, and engaging the students to think more regarding their answers and how it might have an impact on other elements, such as usability, functionality, and simplicity,” Gatrell points out. “The challenge is teaching students how to ask questions in order to refine their answers—then we will begin to bridge the differences between being at university and being at a job, and thus have a more viable employee with options for their career growth.”

Rave: What do you love most about your job and/or the industry?

Gatrell says he finds the unpredictable nature of his daily work keeps him mentally engaged, as there is no such thing in this industry as a ‘normal’ day—and that’s something he truly enjoys. “Questions are asked about a variety of topics from locations throughout North America and around the world,” he points out about his line of work. “There is no one answer, which is why I enjoy design work. There are answers that are more favorable for various reasons, but not just one answer.”

Predictions: What are your predictions for the next 10 to 20 years in the waste industry?

“I predict the waste industry will continue to engage in various means and methods that increase the safety of the workers who handle the waste, either on the trucks that perform curbside pick-up or that manage the waste at the landfill,” Gatrell points out. He adds that he sees those in the solid waste industry are continuing the work of finding additional ways to use the byproducts of waste – such as methane, for example – to create energy for communities. Gatrell observes the solid waste industry also will find such uses not only for renewable natural gas, but gasification and hydrogen as alternative fuels and an enhancement in organics management. “Society continues to evolve,” says Gatrell. “And so will the waste industry.”  

What do you like to do when you're not working?

Gatrell says that he likes to ride his mountain bike and to spend time outside. He also enjoys woodworking, from creating original designs to the construction of the final product. Gatrell says he enjoys photography and has his own photography development equipment. Gatrell also likes to spend his down time working with stained glass. He points out that the overall theme in his off-work time is having the ability to create and share with his family and friends by gifting them the items he creates.