In this episode of the Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards is joined by Spencer Williams, CEO and founder of West Paw, a Montana-based pet products company redefining what circularity looks like in the pet industry. The podcast explores the massive volume of pet product waste entering U.S. landfills each year, the misconceptions consumers have about pet toy durability and recyclability, and why the pet category has long been overlooked in the broader sustainability discussions.

Williams brings nearly three decades of hands-on manufacturing and materials innovation to the table. Raised on a Montana ranch and driven by a desire to create tangible, meaningful products, he built West Paw around domestic manufacturing, material transparency, and long-term environmental stewardship. Today, the company produces safe, durable dog toys using its proprietary recyclable material, Zogoflex, alongside the newer Seaflex line made with reclaimed ocean-bound plastic. Under his leadership, West Paw has kept roughly 100,000 pounds of plastic in circulation each year through its Join the Loop take-back and remanufacturing program, a fully closed-loop system designed and executed entirely in-house.

Throughout the episode, Williams breaks down how West Paw’s recycling process works, what it takes to design a truly circular product, and why owning the supply chain has insulated the company from tariffs and global volatility. He also digs into the chemistry behind Zogoflex, how the team integrates ocean-bound plastic into Seaflex, and why single-material design is essential for real recyclability.