Pre-Conference Workshop

Disaster Preparedness and Response

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

10:00am

Pre-Disaster Planning
Moderator:         Peter Pettit, Chief, Bureau of Waste Reduction and Recycling, NYSDEC

The most effective way to manage a disaster is to be prepared before it happens.  This includes knowing which areas are most susceptible to flooding and other natural disasters, identifying who should be involved in planning and conducting exercises specified in the plan and reviewing the outcomes.

Building in Better Places

In the past, disasters have always meant unplanned, uncoordinated, and hasty reactions to natural and manmade disasters, resulting in huge amounts of misallocated resource – but it doesn't have to be that way.  Zero waste principles, applied to different types of disasters are described in this presentation.

Speaker:                Maggie Clarke, Environmental Scientist, Educator

Planning: Who Has Been and Who Will Be Involved

Understanding the response to past disasters can help identify the key elements for successful planning for future events. This seminar will examine the lessons learned from the World Trade disaster and Hurricane Sandy to help you develop a sound plan for disaster preparation and response.

Speaker:                Daniel Walsh, Director, New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation

Before and After

 

When a disaster is imminent, there will be an array of materials to manage. Providing staging areas to store and process the material is a must.  Special issues including invasive species and animal mortality management should be incorporated into planning and implementation of the plan. After a disaster hits there is often a wealth of items that, if properly coordinated, can be diverted to reuse. 

Staging and Moving Materials

On the morning of June 28th, Oneida and Herkimer Counties received over 6 inches of rain in a two hour period that caused major flooding that destroyed roads, bridges and caused extensive property damage in the Mohawk Valley.  Building on the experience gained from this event, this presentation will discuss the problems associated with the collection and disposal of solid waste generated by major storm events.  

Speakers:              Bill Rabbia, Executive Director, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority

                             Tim DiGiulio, Materials Management Engineer, NYSDEC

Tree/Wood Debris & Invasive Species

Speaker:                Ethan Angell, Senior Horticultural Inspector, NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets

Specialty Debris Management

Animal mortality composting in Schoharie County following Superstorm Sandy.

Speaker:                Jean Bonhotal, Director, Cornell Waste Management Institute

Role of Reuse in NYC’s Recovery from Superstorm Sandy
During the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Mr. Rose coordinated the efforts of New York City’s Donations Coordination Team to help manage the massive volume of unsolicited in-kind donations that flooded the city.  This presentation will provide an overview of that effort and the value of not-for-profit reuse programs in emergency response.

Speaker:                Ben Rose, Director of Operations, NYC Center for Materials Reuse

Other Critical Considerations

There are many considerations that will impact the effectiveness of disaster preparedness and response including funding for restoration of community buildings and infrastructure, obtaining authorization to manage a large amount of materials efficiently under challenging circumstances, planning for recycling and disposal at large events where terrorist threats are a concern, and how to communicate effectively every step of the way.

Restoration Funding

Speaker:                Mike Weber, Vice President for Professional Services, NY Department of Homes and Community Renewal

Emergency Authorization

Speaker:                Tim DiGiulio, Materials Management Engineer, NYSDEC

Materials Management in a Changing World – Dealing with Terrorism Threats

At 2:49 p.m. on Monday, April 15, 2013 at the Boston Marathon, the way we handle our solid waste and recyclables at sporting events and mass gatherings changed forever.  We will discuss how the tragedy at the Boston Marathon affected the local planning and collection of solid waste and recyclables during the annual City of Utica 15K Boilermaker Road Race with over 19,000 runners and 60,000 spectators attending.  The presentation will highlight the materials management procedures recommended by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and United States Department of Homeland Security to have a safe and secure mass gathering event.

Speaker:                Dave Lupinski, Recycling Director, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority

Communication: Before, During and After

Almost every emergency incident has some level of communication problem. Sometimes it is the technology, other times it is the process, often it is not knowing who to talk or listen to. This presentation will help first responders and off-site support, such as subject matter experts, know how to most effectively communicate with the operation and leaders at an emergency or large incident.

Speaker:                Colonel Andrew Jacob, Forest Rangers & Emergency Management Unit, NYSDEC

Lessons Learned

Highlights of the challenges, solutions and key points discussed throughout the day.

 Speaker:               Peter Pettit, Chief, Bureau of Waste Reduction & Recycling, NYSDEC

 

Recycling Conference

Expanding the Team with Friends and Neighbors

Wednesday & Thursday, November 13 & 14, 2013

Expanding the Team with Friends and Neighbors: Extended Producer Responsibility – The Road Ahead                                                                     

Product Stewardship laws continue to emerge as solutions to some of the most challenging solid waste issues in New York, as well as in nearby states and beyond.  See what’s ahead for NY as speakers from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine discuss product stewardship (producer take-back) victories on the legislative front for mattresses and paper and packaging, as well as a “framework” approach that could embrace a wide range of materials.

Moderator:         Marjorie Torelli, Administrator, New York Product Stewardship Council

Passing Mattress Stewardship Legislation in Connecticut

Speaker:                Marilynn Cruz-Aponte, Assistant Director of Public Works, Hartford, CT

Update on New York’s Extended Producer Responsibility

Speaker:                Marjorie Torelli, Administrator, New York Product Stewardship Council

Recycling Hot Spots: Opportunities to Recover More

Waste is everybody’s responsibility. We all create it, so we all need to value the products we use – care about how they are made, how we use them, and how we dispose of or recycle them when we no longer need them. The way we behave at home, at school, at work and as consumers has a real impact on our local communities.

This session deals with potential “hot spots” where there is the opportunity to divert, reduce, reuse and recycle more leading to behavioral and attitudinal changes in the way we view our resources so that more is recovered in all facets of our lives.

Moderator:         Mary Schwarz, Extension Support Specialist, Cornell Waste Management Institute

Eliminating Waste in the Restaurant Industry

Restaurants are definitely one of the current "hot spots" where not only is more being done to reduce waste, recycle, and conserve energy, but also to educate customers and make them aware of other critical environmental issues.  What do Harvard, the Superbowl, and Mario Batali all have in common?  Their foodservice operations are Certified Green Restaurants® or working towards it.  Oshman will discuss a number of GRA initiatives, including a current effort to green the restaurants and other New York and New Jersey hospitality venues gearing up for February's Super Bowl at Met Life Stadium in the Meadowlands, home of both the NY Jets and NY Giants.

Speaker:                Michael Oshman, Founder and CEO, Green Restaurant Association

The Waste Reduction Success of Massachusetts’ Greenest School

Two students from Manchester-Essex Regional School District will talk about what is being done at their school to reduce waste: district wide waste-management system in the dining halls, collection for composting in the hallways around the high school, recycling and Terracycle in every room in the high school, recycling system in the front hallway of our high school, paper collection reuse, and guerrilla marketing across our district.

Speakers:              Eric Magers, Green Team Director, Manchester Essex Regional Middle School

Justin Eichenberger, Student

Cam Holley, Student

Small Towns, Big Opportunities in Organics

An overview of strategies, opportunities, and action that support organics best management practices in rural and small towns.  The presentation will provide an overview of program options that fall under each facet of the organics management hierarchy (reduction, reuse/recovery, and composting), along with action tips and case study examples. While the presentation highlights opportunities for small towns and rural areas, the program options are applicable to any size community.

Speaker:                Athena Bradley, Projects Manager, Northeast Recycling Council, Inc

Organic Material Requirements in DOT Specifications

The recently adopted New York State Department Of Transportation specification “covers the material requirements for organic material used in conjunction with amending or manufacturing topsoil and for erosion control products.”

Speaker:                Greg Gelewski, Recycling Operations Manager, Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA)

Concurrent Session B

EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy

Getting food from the farm to our fork eats up 10 percent of the total U.S. energy budget, uses 50 percent of U.S. lands, and swallows 80 percent of all freshwater consumed in the United States. Yet, 40 percent of food in the United States today goes uneaten. This not only means that Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion each year, but also that the uneaten food ends up in landfills as the single largest component of municipal solid waste where it accounts for a large portion of U.S. methane emissions. Every day, food service providers, such as supermarkets, hospitals, universities, restaurants, and food preparation companies, make decisions about what to do with surplus or leftover food. Surplus food, also known as food scraps, food waste, or organic materials, includes all prepared foods, produce, bakery and dairy items, and meat. This session will take a closer look at food waste reduction and recovery programs.

Moderator:           Michelle Bergkamp, Recycling Coordinator, Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency

EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy Overview 

Speaker:                Rachel Chaput, Environmental Scientist, US Environmental Protection Agency

Source Reduction  

Speaker:                Andrew Shakman, President and CEO, LeanPath, Inc.

Feed Hungry People

Speaker:                Mark Quandt, Executive Director, Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York

Feed Animals 

Speaker:                Bret Bossard, Owner, Barbland Dairy, LLC

Industrial Uses 

Speaker:                Chris Voell, Eastern Sales Manager, BioCNG

Composting 

Speaker:                Bridget Anderson, Recycling Unit Director, Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling, NYC Department of Sanitation

 

Concurrent Session A

Green Energy!                                                           

Learn about energy efficiency incentives and technologies available to make your facilities more energy efficient, including vehicle fleet conversions to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). 

Moderator:         Wendy Sanfilippo, Community Educator, Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County

Compressed Natural Gas and Your Municipality’s Fleet

Fleet operators looking to maximize economic and environmental benefits are considering compressed natural gas (CNG) as a fuel for transit buses, school buses, public works fleets and others. What are the economic and environmental costs and benefits to CNG? This session will discuss factors that are important to fleet managers considering conversion to natural gas.

Speaker:                Larry Simpson, President, Blue Springs Energy

Incentives to Save Energy and Money at Your Facility

Learn what incentives are available from the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) to save energy and money on your facility utility costs.

Speaker:                Heather Saunders, Governmental Affairs Representative and Sustainability Coordinator, NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

US DOE’s Clean Cities Program

US DOE's Clean Cities program’s role is pushing the use of natural gas (instead of diesel) in refuse trucks.  This is a big market; Waste Management nationally and Casella Waste locally are now saving money and dramatically lowering their emissions by switching to natural gas.  Both of these companies are now also utilizing Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) at some of their facilities, cleaning up the methane at their own landfills and using it to fuel vehicles.

Speaker:                Larry Simpson, President, Blue Springs Energy

 

Upcycling  

This session will explore the concept of “Upcycling,” which is the process of converting waste materials or used goods into new materials or products of better quality.

Moderator:         Dianne Woske, Recycling Coordinator, Fulton County Department of Solid Waste

TerraCycle’s Upcycling Efforts

Speaker:             Albe Zakes, Global Vice President of Communications, TerraCycle

Cinderella Project

University at Albany's Office of Environmental Sustainability and Department of Residential Life will present on their partnership to strengthen sustainability literacy throughout the 2012-2013 school year, which led to the development of the Cinderella Project. The Cinderella Project aimed to enhance low-income Albany area high school students' prom experiences by offering "upcycled" dresses and formal wear at no cost. This presentation will highlight the project's addressing the social, economic and environmental aspects of collaboration, as well as the way in which it was introduced to the University and City of Albany community.

Speaker:             Mary McCarthy, Residence Hall Director, SUNY Albany

Repurposing food scraps into value added animal feed

Full Circle Feed has innovated a way to create nutritious dog treats using discarded people food from institutional dining halls.  By reusing a material within a system we are able to reduce the costs to remove it from the urban environment.

Speaker:             Michael Amadori, Owner, Full Circle Feed

Concurrent Session A

Textile Recovery in NYS: So Much More Than Clothing 

Textile recycling is becoming established in communities across New York State with or without direction from municipal representatives. In this session, we will learn how communities can work with current and evolving infrastructure to divert more materials to reuse and recycling, and potentially increase their revenue at the same time. In addition, this session will provide an update on NYSAR3's new statewide textile recovery campaign and details on how everyone can become involved.

Moderator:         Andrew Radin, Recycling Director, Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency

Overview of Textile Recovery State-wide and in Your Community

Speaker:                Dan Rain, Recycling Coordinator, Town of Bethlehem

Understanding the Textile Recycling Process & Sharing Your Knowledge With Others
Speaker:                Eric Stubin, President and CEO, Council for Textile Recycling; and Trans-Americas Textile Recycling Inc. and Chair, Council for Textile Recycling

 

Concurrent Session B

Construction/Waste Management & Deconstruction

Construction/Waste Management & Deconstruction is a means of obtaining reusable building materials through disassembly or selective salvage of buildings and structures. Speakers will discuss some creative ways to divert construction and demolition debris from landfills and reusing buildings materials  by utilizing deconstruction practices in community-based programs. Also covered are some challenges found when sorting clean and contaminated wood for deconstruction and demolition debris.

Moderator:         David Lupinski, Director of Recycling, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority

Deconstruction & Developing the Community ReUse Center Model

Ms. Cohen will discuss the cost-prohibitive challenges associated with the labor-intensive activity required for deconstruction and how a non-profit structure allows for tax-deductions for donated materials and sale of retail merchandise are critical components for success.  In addition she will address the environmental benefits, powerful economic and social benefits that are realized through the Community ReUse Center model.

Speaker:                Diane Cohen, Director, Finger Lakes ReUse

Deconstruction

Speaker:                Justin Green, Program Director, Build it Green!NYC

How to Avoid Wood Mulch Contamination

Speaker:                David Gibb, Environmental Engineer II, NYSDEC

Concurrent Session A

Zero Waste                  

Do you think you know what Zero Waste is?  Is it unattainable or a realistic goal?  What types of waste management methods are included?  Who is achieving zero waste in the real world, how is it done, and why does this represent the first paradigm shift in the field since 1988?  This session answers these questions and more.

Moderator:            Tom Lynch, Environmental Engineer 3, NYSDEC

Planning for Zero Waste and Making it a Viable Alternative to Disposal

This session will clarify the basis for optimism and definition of the term Zero Waste as well as explain the elements of long-range planning for a zero waste goal illustrated by municipal case studies.

Speaker:                Maggie Clarke, Environmental Scientist, Educator

Going Zero Waste

Speaker:                Michael Finnegan, Esq, CEO, Continental Organics

 

Concurrent Session B

Communications: How to Market Your Program

Communication about municipal waste reduction and recycling programs works best when it is dynamic and continuous. In this session, a successful marketing consultant will lay out some of the key concepts and tools to educate the community about recycling programs and opportunities. Then we will hear about tools available through Keep America Beautiful’s new recycling campaign.  Finally, municipal representatives will share some experiences communicating about their recycling programs.

Moderator:         Gary Feinland, EPS2, NYSDEC

Planning and Managing Interactive Projects and Programs 

Speaker:                Jared Brickman, Senior Digital Strategist, Pinckney Hugo Group

KAB’s “America Recycles” Promotional Campaign

Speaker:                Alexandra Donovan, Affiliate Services Manager, Keep America Beautiful

Successful Municipal Education and Outreach Programs

Speakers:              Marianne Petronella, Recycling Coordinator, Westchester County

Michelle Bergkamp, Recycling Coordinator, Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency

Plenary Session

Expanding the Team with Friends and Neighbors

What are our neighbors are up to, anyway?

Moderator:         James Gilbert, Member, NYSAR3 Board of Directors

Materials for the Arts

Materials for the Arts is New York’s premiere reuse center, providing a way for companies and individuals to donate unneeded supplies to thousands of nonprofit organizations with arts programming and public schools. The Reuse Alliance is a national organization building a community of like-minded individuals and organizations across the country that is revolutionizing the way we look at waste.

Speaker:                Harriet Taub, Executive Director, Materials for the Arts

Northeast Recycling Council

The Northeast Recycling Council is a regional non-profit organization that works on sustainable materials management through innovative programming, research, and education.  It offers targeted assistance to individual communities and businesses to help address specific questions and needs.

Speaker:                Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director, Northeast Recycling Council

Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center

An introduction to the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center, and how the RMC facilitates minimization of barriers to develop end markets for Pennsylvania recycled materials.

Speaker:                Jack Himes, Senior Recycling Program Manager, Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center

Lessons from PROP

Learn how Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania, a sister organization to NYSAR3, has conquered its challenges, continues with its successes, and forecasts goals that keep us going.

Speaker:                Lauren Hayman, Analyst, MidAtlantic Solid Waste Consultants and Board Member, Professional Recyclers Of Pennsylvania (PROP)