SESSIONS

Monday, June 23

OPENING PLENARY: Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going? Next Steps for the RMA Monday, 6/23, 1:30pm - 2:30pm

Speakers:

• Kim Holmes, Oregon Executive Director, Circular Action Alliance
• TBD, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Moderator: Holly Stirnkorb, Principal Planner, Metro

Join the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Circular Action Alliance (CAA) for a recap of the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) to date and what to expect after the July 1 launch.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: How Will Physical Climate Change Affect Your Operation – A Peer Learning Exercise Monday, 6/23, 2:45pm - 4:15pm

Sponsored By

Speaker:

• Josh Proudfoot, Director Climate & Sustainabilty, Parametrix (formerly Good Company)

Join Parametrix for a peer learning exercise to examine how physical climate change may affect your operations, and how to work together to identify potential solutions.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Can You Talk Like a 5th Grader? The Power of Simple Words to Communicate Complex Topics in Materials Management and Beyond Monday, 6/23, 4:15pm - 5:15pm

Sponsored By

Speakers:

• Katie Romano, Communications and Outreach Specialist, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
• Jenna Throckmorton, Engagement and Policy Specialist, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Moderator: Jackie Wilson, Community Outreach Coordinator, Deschutes County Solid Waste

This presentation will offer attendees practical tools and effective strategies to enhance communication for inclusion, equity, and cultural awareness. We will explore how language plays a crucial role in ensuring that messages are accessible, respectful, and relevant to diverse audiences.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Tribal Materials Management Program Successes Monday, 6/23, 4:15pm - 5:15pm

Sponsored By

Speaker:

• Bobbi Anne Barnowsky, Executive Director, Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network

Moderator: Travis Comfort, Municipal Contract Administrator, Republic Services

Hear from the Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network (TSWAN) and learn about their mission and project successes.

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Reception Monday, 6/23, 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Sponsored By

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GoodLife Brewing Networking Event Monday, 6/23, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Sponsored By

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Tuesday, June 24

PLENARY: Legislative Update Tuesday, 6/24, 9:00am - 10:00am

Speakers:

• Thomas Egleston, Policy & Program Development Manager, Metro
• Chris Parta, Government Relations Consultant, Parta Oregon

Hear from AOR's legislative chair and lobbyist about the status of the 2025 legislative session, covering the bills we supported, were watching, and opposed, and what's next for 2026.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: PFAS Regulatory and Technical Essentials for Materials Re-Use Tuesday, 6/24, 10:30am - 11:30am

Sponsored By

Speakers:

• Anne Germain, Chief of Technical & Regulatory Affairs, National Waste & Recycling Association
• Sarah Phillips, Corporate Compliance Manager, Waste Connections
• Courtney Savoie, Senior Hydrogeologist, Maul Foster Alongi

Moderator: Danielle Womble, Western Region Recruiter, Waste Connections

This presentation will summarize the current and developing regulatory and technical landscape of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and its relevance to waste management and materials reuse. We will provide an overview of the evolving science of PFAS, including a discussion of chemical characteristics that govern PFAS behavior in the environment and a summary of the latest science regarding PFAS in waste streams. The presentation will include an update on current and proposed regulations from the U.S. EPA, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Washington Department of Ecology, with a discussion of how forthcoming regulations are likely to impact the recycling and sustainable materials management industries.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Q&A With CAA Tuesday, 6/24, 10:30am - 11:30am

Speakers:

• Alex Bertolucci, Oregon Communications Manager, Circular Action Alliance
• Marisa Kraft, Oregon Depot Manager, Circular Action Alliance
• Greg Ryan, Oregon Recycling Manager, Circular Action Alliance

Moderator: Travis Comfort, Municipal Contract Administrator, Republic Services

Come ask the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the nonprofit organization that serves as a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), all your questions about them and how the program will roll out.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: The Future of Reuse: Advocacy, Action, and Innovation Tuesday, 6/24, 12:30pm - 1:45pm

Speakers:

• Jackie Kirouac-Fram, Executive Director, The ReBuilding Center
• Anna Kurnizki, Executive Director, Community Warehouse

Moderator: Denise Barnes, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Rogue Disposal & Recycling

As climate change accelerates, shifting toward a culture of reuse, repair, and sharing is more urgent than ever. This session will explore bold strategies for reversing the trend of cheaply made, short-lived products (such as “fast fashion” and “fast furniture”), securing dedicated funding for reuse and repair programs, and making sustainable consumption more accessible and socially accepted.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Contamination Reductions Strategies from Across the U.S. and Canada: Research Evaluation and On-the-Ground Learnings Tuesday, 6/24, 12:30pm - 1:30pm

Speakers:

• Dan Leif, Policy Implementation Director, The Recycling Partnership
• Samantha Longshore, Community Program Manager, The Recycling Partnership
• Michelle Metzler, Executive Director, Participation and Capture, The Recycling Partnership

Moderator: Dan Leif, Policy Implementation Director, The Recycling Partnership

Through a winning combination of a literature review, desktop research, and on-the-ground implementation, this session provides extensive learnings on contamination reduction strategies with proven success across the U.S. and Canada.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Innovative Community-Led Reuse Projects Tuesday, 6/24, 2:15pm - 3:15pm

Speakers:

• Miriam Hecht, Board Member, ReClaim It
• Nora Paul, Board Member/Volunteer/Artist, ReClaim It
• Russell Simpson, Owner, Reuse All Detritus LLC

Moderator: Udara Abeysekera Bickett, Community Sustainability Consultant

Come hear about some of the innovative community-led projects happening in Portland and Bend. From Portland, we have ReClaim It joining us to share their long history of waste reduction and creative reuse using various outlets and a unique arrangement with Metro and Recology. From Bend, hear about their Community Innovation Fund, a small grant program offering up to $5K for waste-reduction projects to other nonprofits and businesses alike, and hear from four innovative projects: Reuse All Detritus, Around the Bend Farms, Central Oregon Locavore, and High Desert Food and Farm Alliance.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Composting Biosolids on the Oregon Coast - From a Waste Byproduct to Valuable Resource Tuesday, 6/24, 2:15pm - 3:15pm

Speaker:

• Mike Miller, Public Works Director, City of Florence

Moderator: Stephanie Kraus, Marketing and Communications Manager, Sustainable Generation

Biosolids are the nutrient rich organic by-product of municipal wastewater. The production, treatment, and ultimate use or disposal of biosolids is tightly controlled through state and federal regulations. Biosolids are divided into two general classifications: A and B. Class A biosolids undergo processes to reduce pathogens to insignificant levels such that the material can be readily land applied and/or marketed to the public for application to lawns and gardens. Class B biosolids have less stringent treatment requirements, but are then subject to certain restrictions for land application and public contact. Class B biosolids cannot be distributed to the general public.

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Roundtable Discussions Tuesday, 6/24, 4:00pm - 5:00pm

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Reception and Dinner Tuesday, 6/24, 5:00pm - 6:30pm

RECEPTION: DINNER:

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Casino Night Tuesday, 6/24, 6:30pm - 10:00pm

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Wednesday, June 25

CONCURRENT SESSION: Reducing Textile Waste – Giving Clothing a Second Life: The RePatch Program and Rugged Thread’s Journey Wednesday, 6/25, 9:30am - 10:45am

Sponsored By

Speakers:

• Donny Addison, Waste Prevention Program Analyst, City of Eugene
• Mitra Gruwell, Community Engagement Coordinator, Materials Exchange Center for the Community Arts
• Kimberly Kinney, CEO, Founder, and Innovator, Rugged Thread Outerwear Repair

Moderator: Jackie Wilson, Community Outreach Coordinator, Deschutes County Solid Waste

Textile waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the U.S., but also one of the most overlooked opportunities. This session features two Oregon-based models leading the charge. Eugene’s RePatch Program connects community members living in shelter communities with hands-on repair skills that are helping the city reduce textile waste. Bend’s Rugged Thread is expanding the repair ecosystem and scaling infrastructure to support a circular economy across the outdoor industry. Founder Kim Kinney will also introduce Design for Repair (DFR) as a critical tool for longevity, workforce development, and systems change.

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CONCURRENT SESSION: Demo of Service Providers Portal with CAA Wednesday, 6/25, 9:30am - 10:45am

Speaker:

• Aaron Burman, VP of Data and Analytics, Circular Action Alliance

Moderator: Travis Comfort, Municipal Contract Administrator, Republic Services

In this session, the Circular Action Alliance (CAA) will provide a demo of their service providers portal.

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CLOSING PLENARY: Building Legislative Consensus Wednesday, 6/25, 11:15am - 12:00pm

Speakers:

• Robin Harkless, Director, Oregon Consensus
• TBD

Moderator: Marissa Heffernan, Associate Editor, Resource Recycling, Inc.

Legislation doesn't happen in a vacuum and it doesn't happen overnight. Even before you have your LC developed, you need to build relationships and partnerships and work towards consensus. But how do you do that? Come learn the nuances of consensus building through the lens of the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) and how to move legislation forward in polarizing environments.