Hazardous Waste, Critical Minerals, and the Future of Climate Commodities

In this episode of Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future, Megan Kjar sits down with Nicholas Rohleder, co-founder of Climate Commodities, to explore how his team is transforming hazardous waste into critical inputs for the steel, semiconductor, and ceramics industries.

Nicholas breaks down his company’s unique "barbell" model—balancing greenfield project development with brownfield acquisitions—and shares how they’re bringing an insurance-linked approach to derisk climate infrastructure.

We also dive into the hidden challenges of feedstock quality, the fragility of capital markets, and how regulatory volatility is shaping the next wave of climate innovation.

Whether you’re a climate investor, founder, or policymaker—this conversation offers a rare window into the frontier of resource recovery and the structural innovation happening behind the scenes.