27th Annual Recycling Conference & Trade Show

Adjust Sails towards a Clearer Future: Navigating Solutions to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! 

 

PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP: NAVIGATING THE VORTEX OF PLASTICS CONFUSION

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

This workshop will set the stage for the 2017 NYSAR3 campaign focusing on plastics. Plastics are ubiquitous in everyday objects, from automobiles to electronics, product packaging to building materials, textiles and so much more!

Managing plastics at the end of their useful lives has long proven challenging for solid waste and recycling professionals. It is difficult to keep up with the evolving types of plastic products.  The question remains, if we professionals are struggling to understand the complex world of plastics, then what do everyday citizens think and do when it comes to plastic recycling?

Plastic litter presents a particularly difficult challenge. Specifically, plastic bags trapped in trees and windblown polystyrene foam containers are very visible to the public in city streets and waterways.  Environmental damage occurs when plastics make their way into our storm drains and eventually into our waterways.

The overall goal of the day is to gather professionals in the recycling industry, environmental non-profits, and concerned citizens to clarify the challenges and solutions with managing plastics and to brainstorm ideas for NYSAR3 and its members to tackle plastics' challenges statewide.

As such, objectives for today are to do the following:

  • Understand and better define the problems of plastics
  • Learn about state and local solutions for managing plastics
  • Explore different ways that plastics messaging is implemented
  • Brainstorm solutions and tools that would help to increase the Reduction, Reuse and Recycling of plastics in New York State 

 

 

Welcome, Overview & Introductions

Speaker: James Gilbert, President, NYSAR3

 

Defining the Problems

Moderator: Jim Gilbert, President, NYSAR3

Plastics In Marine Debris

Trash Free Waters

Speaker: Joshua Kogan, Environmental Engineer, USEPA Region 2

Plastics Industry Efforts on Marine Debris

Speaker: Stewart Harris, Director, Marine and Environmental Stewardship, American Chemistry Council

Film Plastics

Take Back Programs, Bag Bans and Bag Fees – The WRAP Program

Speaker: Tonya Randell, Project Manager, Moore Associates

Update on the NY State Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Act

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

Questions & Discussion

Break

Working Toward Solutions

Moderator: Kelli Timbrook, Project Manager, Casella Organics

Program Solutions

Polystyrene Foam Pilot Project

Speaker: Mary Bartlett, Recycling Coordinator, Madison County Department of Solid Waste

Single Use Bag Bans/Reduction in NYS

Speaker: Brian Smith, Associate Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Markets for Film Plastics

Speaker: Samara Norman, Senior Materials Buyer, Trex Company, Inc.

Messaging Solutions

Moderator: Gary Carrel, Solid Waste Recycling Specialist, Erie County

Standard Recycling Labels

Speaker: Mitch Hedlund, Executive Director, Recycle Across America

Plastics Recycling Terms & Tools

Speaker: Tonya Randell, Project Manager, Moore Associates

How2Recycle Logo Update

Speaker: Caroline Cox, Project Associate, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, GreenBlue

Developing a NYSAR3 Campaign - Brainstorming Session

Facilitator:  Bodhi Piedmont-Fleischmann, Project Engineer, Cornerstone Environmental

  • Have we clarified any plastics confusion? What has not been addressed or needs further clarification?
  • Review key highlights from the presentations and discussions
  • Ideas for NYSAR3 to take the lead in New York State

Movie Night – Plastic Paradise and Plastics Trivia Night

Come join us for a movie and trivia game. Beer and Popcorn will be provided!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27th Annual Recycling Conference & Trade Show

Adjust Sails towards a Clearer Future: Navigating Solutions to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! 

Thursday, November 3, 2016

An Inside Look at Albany’s Legislative Landscape

Introduction: Jim Gilbert, President, NYSAR3
Moderator:  Bodhi Piedmont-Fleischmann, Project Engineer, Cornerstone Environmental

Speaker: Julie Tighe, Deputy Commissioner, Legislative Affairs, NYS DEC

Pre-Conference Day Summary

Speaker: Gary Carrel, Recycling Coordinator, Erie County Environment and Planning

 

Break in Exhibit Hall

Organics Council Meeting

 

Concurrent Session A

Continuing the Thread: Campaign Update and Creation of the Re-Clothe NY Coalition
Moderator: Dan Lilkas-Rain, Town of Bethlehem, Chair, NYSAR3 Re-Clothe NY Campaign

2016 is a year of transition for NYSAR3’s Groundbreaking textile recovery campaign, “Re-Clothe NY.” In the first two years since the campaign was kicked off at the NYSAR3 Conference in November 2014, our first ever coordinated statewide campaign to focus on recovery of a single category of material has successfully increased textile reuse and recycling, raised public awareness, and been recognized by an EPA Award. The effort is far from over, however, and this conference session will update participants on how formalizing the Re-Clothe NY Coalition and a recent Pollution Prevention Institute-funded public education campaign are helping prepare the textile recovery effort for the future, and why textile reuse and recycling still holds great benefit for NYS communities.

Update on the Re-Clothe NY Campaign and Introduction to the Coalition
Speaker: Dan Lilkas-Rain, Town of Bethlehem, Chair, NYSAR3 Re-Clothe NY Campaign


P2I Grant Project – Public Education Campaign; Re-Clothe NY Coalition Creation Update
Speaker: Amanda Nicholson, Director of Finance and Operations, Product Stewardship Institute


Coalition Member Perspectives
Speakers: Nir Katz, Tidewater Textile Recycling
Susan C. Attridge, Recycling Coordinator, City of Buffalo

Concurrent Session B

Recycling Challenges – Full Speed Ahead

Moderator: Dianne Woske, Recycling Coordinator, Fulton County

This session will discuss how to get the public to do a better job recycling, as well as the main people they come in contact with - like transfer station personnel or curbside pick-up crews.

Training Transfer Station Attendants and Drivers

Speaker:  Jan Oatman, Regional Recycling Coordinator, Development Authority of the North Country

Perspective of the Private Hauler

Speaker: Dan Kurtz, District Manager, County Waste & Recycling

MRF Residue –Focus on MRF residue

Speaker: Kevin Sutton, Plant Manager, Recycle America

Waste Audit

Speaker: Ann Fordock, Recycling Specialist, Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency


Lunch Sponsored by CRP Sanitation and Opening of the Exhibit Hall

 

Concurrent Session A

Get On Board with the Master Composters! They Do It with a Sense of Humus
Moderator: Mary Schwarz, Cornell Waste Management Institute

Master Composters are volunteers trained to educate and enthuse the public about composting. The educational information is disseminated through a variety of activities including conducting classes, workshops, demonstration sites and at local festivals and events. The goal of the Master Composter Program is to assist communities to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill or incinerator, and to develop a useable soil enrichment product.

What is a Master Composter Program? Why and how to set one up
This session will explain models and different ways Master Composter programs are organized including strategies for recruiting Master Composters, getting enthusiasm from the public, funding and sustainability of a program over time.

Speakers:  

Jodie Colon, Project Manager, NYC Compost Project Hosted by The New York Botanical Garden
Adam Michaelides, Program Manager, Compost Education Program, Tompkins County Cooperative Extension
Jean Bonhotal, Director, Cornell Waste Management Institute
Cuyler Remick, Compost Educator, NYC Compost Project Hosted by Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Andrea Lieske, Resource Recovery Coordinator, NYC Compost Project Hosted by Earth Matter


Master Composter Graduates Panel
Master Composter graduates will discuss volunteering, what they’ve done since graduating, and the importance of the volunteer portion of the program.

Speakers:  

Tompkins County Master Composter Tyler Hale, class of 2016

Tompkins County Master Composter Janet Edwards, class of 2013

Tompkins County Master Composter James Jones-Rounds, class of 2009

NYC Compost Project and Master Composter, Sashti Balasundaram, class of 2013 

Concurrent Session B


Innovative Waste Reduction Through Education and Social Media
Moderator: Kelli Timbrook, Project Manager, Casella Organics

Looking for new ways to spread the message about recycling efforts in your organization, school or community? This session will highlight the use of social media and outreach to bring in new members, energy, and ideas to your organization, while advertising new technology and fresh ideas to reduce waste through the 3 R’s.


Engaging Young Professionals & Public Outreach
Speaker: Khris Dodson, Chairman, Public Outreach Committee, New York Water Environment Association

Packaging Optimization – Product and Packaging Design Approaches to Minimizing Waste
Speaker: Professor Dan Johnson, Rochester Institute of Technology 

An Interactive Web Approach to Environmental Education
Speaker: Theresa Evans, Recycling Specialist, Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency

 

Break in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by CRP Sanitation

 

Concurrent Session A


Food Recovery and Food Scraps Recycling: Something Sweet is in the Air

Moderator: Gary Feinland, Environmental Program Specialist 2, Organics Reduction & Recycling Section, NYSDEC

Interest in food donation and food scraps recycling is on the rise from local food pantries to State-level initiatives and national campaigns. From NRDC and the Ad Council’s Save the Food Campaign to New York State initiatives, to the need for more food at local pantries, the attention on food scraps in the State has never been more focused. This session will provide a summary of some of the activities occurring in and possibilities for New York State.

NYS Food System Sustainability Roadmap

Speaker: Ava Labuzetta, Pollution Prevention Engineer, NYS Pollution Prevention Institute

NYSAR3’s Food Recovery Campaign: Partnering To Get More Wasted Food To People In Need

Speaker: Gary Feinland, Environmental Program Specialist 2, Organics Reduction & Recycling Section, NYSDEC

Increasing Rescued Food Distribution with Mobile Cold Storage

Speaker: Peter Ricardo, Product Donations Manager, Food Bank of Central NY

Concurrent Session B

Legislative Update

Moderator: Peter Pettit, Waste Reduction & Recycling Bureau Chief, NYSDEC

Learn about possible statewide NYS organics diversion legislation, pharmaceuticals take back from a local municipal perspective and this year’s legislative priorities of the New York League of Conservation Voters.   

Proposed NYS Organics Diversion Legislation 

Speakers:

Sally Rowland. P.E. Ph.D, Section Supervisor, Bureau of Waste Reduction & Recycling, Organics Reduction & Recycling Section, NYSDEC and

David Vitale, Director, Division of Materials Management

Pharmaceutical Take-back: A Local Government Perspective 

Speaker: Ed Gottlieb, Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal, Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator, Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, and Board Member of the New York Product Stewardship Council

The Nature Conservancy and Friends of NY’s Environment; Legislative Priorities & Outreach Strategies

Speaker:  Jessica Ottney Mahar, New York's Nature Conservancy, Director of Government Relations

 Taking the Helm - Your NYSAR3 Organization

Moderator: James Gilbert, President, NYSAR3

This session is all about you, the community of materials management professionals of New York and how your state association can continue to serve you! After reviewing current goals and mission of NYSAR3, facilitated group discussions will help us to identify and discuss opportunities for growth and enhancement. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your voice heard! – As if you needed more incentive to attend this session – Beer and snacks will be provided!

 

Reception in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by TOMRA

Join us for delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks in the exhibit hall while you mingle with the New York materials management network and learn about exciting new technologies and initiatives available to enhance your program and improve the state of reduction, reuse and recycling!
Emerging Professionals: Congregate around the reserved table in the Exhibit Hall to catch up with your contemporaries over cocktails!

 

Ommegang Brewery Social Sponsored by Naturcycle

Delicious Belgian-style fries and beers await for you to cheers with old and new friends at the Ommegang Brewery! Dutch treat.

Bus transportation available! Meet at the main hotel lobby at 7:15. The bus will wait to reach capacity before leaving for the first trip. If you miss the first bus, don’t worry – it will be making multiple trips. The bus will make return trips at 9 and 10 pm.

 

27th Annual Recycling Conference & Trade Show

Adjust Sails towards a Clearer Future: Navigating Solutions to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! 

Friday, November 4, 2016

Concurrent Session A

College Council Award Winners

Moderator: Lorinda Hill, Assistant to the Director of Plant Facilities, Rockland Community College

Learn about innovative, award-winning Sustainable Materials Management programs at New York colleges and universities.

Speakers:

Union College, Meghan Haley-Quigley, Sustainability Director

Wells College, A powerpoint by Marion Brown, Director, Center for Sustainability & the Environment

​University of Rochester, Amy Kadrie, Recycling Coordinator, Eco Reps Committee​

Jefferson Community College, Matt Lambert, Campus Sustainability Committee

Concurrent Session B

Recycling’s Rocky Road

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

Experts discuss efforts to overcome current market challenges and changes to the recycling material stream. 

Quality is What It Is All About

Speaker: Chris Lucarelle, Area Director, Recycling Operations, Waste Management of New England

Commodity Market Trends – Fibers, Metals, Plastics

Speaker:  Michael Florio, Major Account Manager, Waste Management Recycle America

Q/C Data On Recycling Material Changes/Trends

Speaker: Carl Hursh, Senior ConsultantMSW Consultants

Break in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by St. Pauly Textile Inc. 

Concurrent Session A

Plotting a Course Toward Reuse

Moderator:  Bodhi Piedmont-Fleischmann, Project Engineer, Cornerstone Environmental

While reuse is near the top of the materials management hierarchy, seldom does it take a prominent role in management strategies. One common challenge to implementing reuse programs is the difficulty of measuring reuse. Another challenge is how to help people incorporate innovative reuse techniques into their lives. In this session attendees will first learn about a program in New York City that has been successful in quantifying reuse. Then the session will feature the trailer and selected clips from the new documentary film "Reuse: Because You Can't Recycle the Planet" to inspire and facilitate a discussion about reuse initiatives.  Our co-facilitators will draw on their municipal, education and parenting experience in what promises to be a fun and creative discussion to address the question: "How can you apply these reuse ideas and resources in your life, and encourage others to do so too?"

Quantifying Reuse in NYC

Speaker: Lorena Fortuna, Research Program Manager, NYC Center for Materials Reuse 

Reuse: Because You Can’t Recycle the Planet 
Facilitators: Dan Lilkas-Rain, Recycling Coordinator, Town of Bethlehem and Kristen Lilkas-Rain, Volunteer Educator, Bethlehem Central School District

NOTE: The brainstormed products from this session will help form the basis of a new reuse guide for the NYSAR3 website, including resources and ideas to encourage reuse programs.

Concurrent Session B


Delving into Household Hazardous Waste Collections

Moderator: Jeff Edwards, Recycling Coordinator, Schenectady County Planning Department

This session will take a well-rounded look at household hazardous waste collections with presentations from DEC representatives and the private sector.  DEC officials will provide updates on changes to HHW Assistance grants, permit requirements and other related issues.  Solara Environmental Products & Services will give an overview of available program options beyond the typical collection event format.  There will be time for audience input and questions.

All About HHW Permits, Assistance Grants and Recent Changes

Speaker:  Theresa Laibach, Environmental Specialist 2, NYSDEC Region 3 and Michael Dauphinais, Environmental Program Specialist 3, Waste Transporter and Resource Management Section, NYSDEC

The Municipal Perspective

Speaker: Ann Fordock, Recycling Specialist, Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency

Delving into HHW Collection

Speaker: Sarah Battaglia, Business Development, Solara Environmental Products & Services

Luncheon Sponsored by Casella Resource Solutions
Join us for the grand conference finale – celebrate the award-winning
success of recyclers from around the state while you dine on a
scrumptious buffet – we have everything from soup to nuts!

Annual NYSAR3 Members Meeting

Recycling Leadership Awards Presentation

Poster Contest Winners Award Ceremony

College Grant Awards Presentation

 

We want to hear from you! To help inform the planning of future conferences, please complete the Conference Evaluation Form. In the interest of waste reduction, it can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WS7YF5V