Plugging Into Opportunities in Refuse Fleet Electrification

Add another level to the technology tsunami that is propelling the waste industry into its brave new future. Alongside artificial intelligence and robotics add fleet electrification to the list as private haulers, municipalities (and their blended partnerships) embrace the idea of electrified refuse vehicles. This session will look at the opportunities and the challenges that come with an electrified refuse vehicle – battery life, power management, driver training and awareness are all part of this new domain along with the benefits of emissionless, quieter vehicles and possibly less rigorous maintenance routines. Hear from organizations that currently have electric vehicles out in the real world, what they are experiencing and what new trials will be released in 2020.

Reducing Food Waste and Increasing Recovery in Municipal, Regional, and State Programs

Moderator: Evan Edgar, Edgar & Associates, Inc.

• Food Recycling and Rescue – Los Angeles County’s Three-Pronged Approach. Suk Chong, Senior Civil Engineer, Los Angeles County Public Works and Michelle Leonard, Vice President, SCS Engineers
• Accelerate Food Waste Reduction Through Collaboration. Holly Stirnkorb, Senior Solid Waste Planner, Metro. OR
• Eating the Food Scraps Elephant: How Madison, WI is Tackling the Problem of Food Scraps a Bite at a Time through Prevention and Diversion. Bryan Johnson, Recycling Coordinator, Stacie Reece, Sustainability Program Coordinator, and George Reistad, Food Policy Director, City of Madison, and John Welch, Director Waste & Renewables, Dane County. WI
• Santa Clara County Community Based Social Marketing (CBSM) of Food Waste Reduction Program and Food Recovery Efforts Project. Lisa Coelho, SCS Engineers, CA

Meet Adam Minter & Ryan Hickman

Monday, May 4

Unique Beginnings
Track: Operations, Fleet & Safety
1:45PM – 3:00PM

Glitz and glamour, and waste and recycling often don’t go hand in hand. So, how is it that folks get into the waste and recycling industry? Is it a history of family generations already in the business, the potential of a steady industry and career or simply a bit of dumb luck and a dream? Join these panelists as they share their unique success stories of how they made their way into the waste industry and how they got to where they are today.

Tuesday, May 5

War on Plastics
Track: Technology & Innovation
3:00PM – 4:15PM

Plastic has become a hot topic the past few years, and it is only going to continue heating up. With new bans, more restrictions, changing markets, and an emphasis on sustainability and circular economy, the challenge of finding real solutions to manage plastic waste has become a priority. But there are differing views on how to attack this issue. What are the financial implications of recycling plastic? What are the infrastructure challenges? Is our energy better spent on addressing the root of the problem and limiting the use of plastic all together? Find out what steps are being taken to address this growing global problem.

History of Recycling – Live
Track: Recycling & Landfill
1:30PM – 2:45PM

In the coming years, some of the industry’s brightest and most-experienced colleagues will be retiring. This session seeks to capture their “tribal” wisdom on the history of recycling and, most importantly, what we can learn from it today. Join this session to find out the true meaning of recycling, what successful recycling systems have had in common, and how we can apply historical knowledge to our current recycling industry. Hear a vibrant introduction of the major twists and turns in recycling’s evolution over centuries and particularly the last few decades, as well a current overview of recycling in the U.S. in 2020. This will be followed by a lively panel who will answer questions and share insight that will teach attendees:

• Resilience—Although recycling feels in peril, we are just experiencing another shift in the system, where we could create a stronger recycling industry, or at least one better evolved to today's environmental, economic, political, and social climate.
• Tactics—Tactical lessons from our recycling history that could apply to today.
• History—How external forces have shaped our views of recycling and how we can anticipate the external forces impacting our recycling system today.

Wednesday, May 6

Addressing Climate Change & Packaging
Track: Technology & Innovation
12:15PM – 1:30PM

Climate change continues to be a highly debated topic in today’s world. In fact, the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2019 is “climate emergency”. And when talking climate change in relation to waste, especially when it comes to packaging, people tend to focus on recycling. But is recycling always the best option? Or would it be better to have lightweight packaging that is thrown away? Find out the impact and effects recyclable packaging really has.

Visionary Perspectives on Sustainable Systems, Zero Waste, and Biofuels
Track: Organics Management | Food Recovery Forum
1:40PM – 2:40PM

Moderator: Leah Lizarondo, 412 Rescue

• Zero Heroes with 2020 Vision. Zero Waste, Biogas, CNG, Food Waste to AD and Compost. Evan Edgar, Principal, Edgar & Associates, Inc. CA
• The Zero Waste Approach to Managing Compostable Organics. Richard Anthony, Zero Waste USA. CA
• Sustainable Community Systems Incorporating Solid Waste Management. George Savage, Senior VP, CalRecovery. CA

Closing Plenary: Food Waste Paradigms
Track: Track: Organics Management | Food Recovery Forum
4:10PM – 5:00PM

Moderator: Darby Hoover, NRDC

• Food Recovery is Not Enough to Impact Hunger. Leah Lizarondo, 412 Rescue. MA
• There’s More Than Enough: Minimizing Waste, Maximizing Savings. Komal Ahmad, CEO, COPIA. CA