Sessions

Monday, June 22

BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting

Monday, 6/22, 10:00am - 11:00am
Room: Bloch

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this BIPOC affinity group meeting will focus on community-building, networking, and resource sharing in a supportive space.

BIPOC Ally Group Meeting

Monday, 6/22, 10:00am - 11:00am
Room: Studio BC (2nd floor)

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this BIPOC ally group meeting will provide tools, cultural competency strategies, and space for reflection and small group discussions. It will help allies show up in meaningful and informed ways for their BIPOC colleagues.

LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group Meeting

Monday, 6/22, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Room: Bloch

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this LGBTQIA+ affinity group meeting will focus on community-building, networking, and resource sharing in a supportive space.

LGBTQIA+ Ally Group Meeting

Monday, 6/22, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Room: Studio BC (2nd floor)

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this LGBTQIA+ ally group meeting will provide tools, cultural competency strategies, and space for reflection and small group discussions. It will help allies show up in meaningful and informed ways for their LGBTQIA+ colleagues.

OPENING PLENARY: Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) – First Year in Review

Monday, 6/22, 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Room: Wilder

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Circular Action Alliance (CAA) will provide a comprehensive update on the first year of the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA). This session is designed for all stakeholders involved in the recycling industry, offering critical insights into how the act is being implemented.

Speakers

Key Highlights

Implementation Progress: Gain a direct update from DEQ and CAA on the current status of RMA rollout.
Essential Insights: Presenters will share "need-to-know" information alongside interesting findings from the inaugural year.
Sector Relevance: Understand why RMA implementation is relevant and of high interest to everyone working within the waste and recycling space.

Why Attend?

As the RMA continues to reshape the landscape of recycling, staying informed on its progress is vital for compliance and operational planning. This session offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from the organizations leading the transition.

Tuesday, June 23

PLENARY: The Next Generation: Young Voices in Recycling

Tuesday, 6/23, 9:00am - 10:00am
Room: Joplin/Seager

This session features a candid panel discussion with younger professionals currently navigating the recycling industry. As the current workforce ages, this conversation addresses the critical need to attract and retain new talent to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

Speakers

Key Highlights

Workforce Evolution: Explore strategies for attracting new voices as the industry face a shifting demographic landscape.
Professional Perspectives: Gain insights into what makes this an exciting time to be a professional in the recycling field.
Economic Context: Discuss workforce challenges within the context of Oregon’s 5.2% unemployment rate.
Authentic Dialogue: Benefit from a panel format designed to provide honest, first-hand experiences from the next generation of leaders.

Why Attend?

Understanding the motivations and challenges of younger professionals is essential for any organization looking to build a resilient workforce. This session provides a unique opportunity to hear directly from the future of the industry about what it takes to foster a vibrant and inclusive professional environment.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Making Space for Multifamily Recycling Improvements in Oregon—What’s Coming and How Communities are Evolving

Tuesday, 6/23, 10:15am - 11:15am
Room: Wilder

This session will feature a moderated panel discussion focused on providing context and perspectives to address upcoming multifamily requirements in statute (ORS 459A.911), including adequate recycling access and collection, service standards, collection frequency, franchise agreements, and reporting obligations for communities with populations over 4,000. The panel will include a comprehensive look at multifamily recycling in the state, bringing together insights from state and local government, service providers, and nonprofit organizations. DEQ will provide an overview of upcoming requirements, followed by a moderated panel of experts who will share their experience on how Oregon can effectively navigate these requirements with lessons learned both regionally and nationally. Questions and thoughts collected during this session will be circulated to keep the conversation continuing after the conference.

Speakers

Key Highlights

Expert Panel Discussion: Engage with a moderated panel focusing on upcoming regulatory shifts and what is on the horizon for multifamily recycling in Oregon.
Local Government Overview: Gain a comprehensive look at how local governments are currently addressing multi-dwelling waste and the strategies they use to manage these complex environments.
Interactive Planning: The session encourages the audience to actively consider how they will adapt to and prepare for these significant changes.
Timely Regulatory Insights: Discuss why these issues are critical right now, as all multi-dwelling programs face evolving requirements.

Why Attend?

This combined session is extremely timely and relevant for any professional responsible for waste management in high-density environments. Attendees will receive both a high-level overview of local government successes and practical, "need-to-know" updates on the future of multifamily recycling that will directly impact their work.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Reuse Panel #1

Tuesday, 6/23, 10:15am - 11:15pm
Room: Joplin/Seager

CONCURRENT SESSION: Closing the Loop—Collaborative Success Stories in Organics

Tuesday, 6/23, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Room: Wilder

This session explores innovative, hands-on methods for navigating the complexities of modern recycling and organics collection. By combining local success stories from the City of Gresham, the City of Portland, Lane County, and Washington County, we dig into the collaborations necessary to manage evolving waste systems and leave with actionable lessons.

Speakers

Key Highlights

Experiential Learning: Participants will engage with hands-on opportunities to better understand how complex recycling systems function.
Organics Collection: The presentation addresses the rise of mandatory organics collection programs and the increased awareness of these systems across the region.
Direct Educator Insights: The audience will learn directly from LG educators' successes and stories regarding cross-organizational collaboration.
Modular Case Studies: The session features three approximately 20-minute segments focused on waste reduction and local success stories.

Why Attend?

As recycling and organic systems become more complex, it is vital to understand and teach how these systems actually work. This session provides helpful, actionable information through the lens of a local success story, offering a blueprint for those looking to implement similar waste reduction programs in their own communities.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Reuse Panel #2

Tuesday, 6/23, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Room: Joplin/Seager

CONCURRENT SESSION: Snack Pack—Navigating the RMA as a National Food Brand

Tuesday, 6/23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Room: Wilder

This interactive session provides a deep dive into how national food brands are navigating the complexities of the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA). Led by Louisa de Heer of Parametrix, the presentation illuminates the internal shifts and strategic decisions required for large-scale producers to remain compliant and efficient under new regulatory frameworks.

Speaker

Louisa de Heer, Senior Consultant, Parametrix

Key Highlights

Interactive Engagement: Participate in a collaborative environment designed to explore real-world navigation of the RMA.
Internal Impact: Understand the myriad of internal considerations and operational changes national food brands must address.
Critical Timing: This topic is identified as critical for this specific year's conference agenda given the evolving landscape of recycling legislation.
Expert Guidance: Benefit from the insights of a practitioner with 15 years of experience supporting food and beverage companies through significant packaging data and design adjustments.

Why Attend?

Conference attendees will benefit from hearing firsthand accounts of the challenges and successes encountered by major food brands. This session offers a unique "behind-the-scenes" perspective on large-scale RMA implementation, providing valuable lessons for stakeholders across the industry.

CONCURRENT SESSION: From Waste Streams to Climate Assets: The Oregon Story

Tuesday, 6/23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Room: Joplin/Seager

This session tells the real, on-the-ground story of Oregon’s transition from managing traditional waste streams to developing high-value climate assets. This presentation is highly relevant to the membership as it addresses the most pressing economic and environmental challenges currently facing the state’s materials management sector.

Speakers

Key Highlights

On-the-Ground Insights: Gain a practical understanding of how theoretical waste management strategies are being applied in real-world Oregon scenarios.
Addressing Economic Volatility: Discuss strategies to combat rising disposal costs and volatile waste markets.
Climate-Focused Outcomes: Learn how rethinking waste streams can lead to the development of assets that contribute to broader climate goals.
Timely Solutions: This session provides a platform to address immediate industry pressures with innovative, forward-thinking solutions.

Why Attend?

Oregon is currently facing a "perfect storm" of rising disposal costs and market instability. This session is essential for anyone looking to move beyond basic disposal and explore how to transform waste challenges into sustainable, climate-positive opportunities.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Recycling in Tribal Nations: Stories of Progress and Resilience

Tuesday, 6/23, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Room: Wilder

In this session, the Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network (TSWAN) invites you to explore the latest developments in tribal recycling projects. We will provide a comprehensive update on the projects you met last year while introducing new stories of innovation and community impact. Whether discussing breakthroughs or navigating roadblocks, we’ll share the vital "stories from the field" that define tribal successes and the collective journey toward sustainable waste management.

Speaker

Bobbi Anne Barnowsky, Executive Director, Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network (TSWAN)

CONCURRENT SESSION: Putting EPR Dollars to Work

Tuesday, 6/23, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Room: Joplin/Seager

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funding is now becoming a reality for many communities across Oregon. This session is designed to help local governments navigate these new funding streams and understand how to effectively allocate resources as the program scales.

Key Highlights

New Funding Streams: Gain clarity on the nature of EPR funding, which is a new development for all involved stakeholders.
Regional Impact: Address the specific needs of the many communities across Oregon that are currently receiving these funds.
Strategic Implementation: Discuss why June is the optimal timeframe for local governments to begin planning and deploying these resources.

Why Attend?

As EPR implementation moves forward, understanding how to manage and maximize the impact of these new dollars is essential for local infrastructure and programming. This session offers a timely opportunity to build foundational knowledge on a topic that is becoming increasingly critical for Oregon’s waste management landscape.

Wednesday, June 24

CONCURRENT SESSION: It’s Not All Boring Trash: Designing Innovative, Collaborative, Climate-Focused Materials Management Programs

Wednesday, 6/24, 9:00am - 10:00am
Room: Wilder

Developing or revising a materials management plan presents a significant opportunity to rethink how communities perceive "waste." This session highlights the recent development of Benton County, Oregon’s Sustainable Materials Management Plan, which utilizes a lifecycle-based, climate-focused, and collaborative approach to materials use and recovery.

Speakers

Jackie Kirouac-Fram, Senior Consultant, RRS

Key Highlights

Actionable Future Vision: Learn about the development of a vision that includes concepts like a publicly-owned transfer network designed for recovery and coordinated regional food waste prevention.
Holistic Strategies: Discover how construction and demolition debris approaches can support housing needs while maximizing reuse, and how packaging strategies can link materials management with economic development.
Regional Collaboration: Explore a model that emphasizes formalized regional collaboration, shared funding of infrastructure, policy leadership, and programmatic support.
Innovative Solutions: This session provides inspiration and specific tools for planners to move beyond duplicating previous efforts and implement innovative actions.

Why Attend?

This session offers innovative solutions to common challenges faced by those responsible for developing or supporting community materials management plans. Attendees will walk away with actionable elements to guide their communities toward more resilient, low-carbon materials systems.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Beyond the Bin: Creative Ways to Teach Recycling

Wednesday, 6/24, 9:00am - 10:00am
Room: Joplin/Seager

As recycling systems grow increasingly complex, the need for effective, modern education is more critical than ever. This session explores innovative, hands-on methods designed to bridge the gap between complex infrastructure and public understanding.

Speakers

Key Highlights

Interactive Learning: Participants will explore practical, hands-on opportunities to better understand the mechanics of recycling systems.
Practical Application: Gain insights into teaching strategies that simplify complex waste management processes for various audiences.
Future-Ready Strategies: Discuss the importance of evolving our educational approaches to keep pace with the shifting landscape of global recycling systems.

Why Attend?

This session is essential for those looking to translate technical recycling challenges into engaging, actionable educational content. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of how to make recycling systems accessible and intuitive through experiential learning.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Looking North: Recycling Reform through EPR

Wednesday, 6/24, 10:15am - 11:15am
Room: Wilder

This session focuses on the newly adopted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation in Washington. As Oregon’s neighbor implements these reforms, this presentation explains the basics of Washington’s law and explores the potential for regional synergies and amplified impacts on West Coast recycling outcomes.

Speakers

Key Highlights

Regional EPR Adoption: Examine the details of Washington's newly adopted Recycling Reform Act and its implications for local and regional systems.
Collaborative Strength: Understand why Oregon’s recycling system outcomes will be stronger through regional coordination and sharing.
Proactive Planning: Learn the landscape of reforms coming to Washington to build an understanding of key opportunities for collaboration across state lines.

Why Attend?
With the adoption of EPR in Washington, it is vital for local professionals to look north and prepare for a shifting regional landscape. This session provides an early opportunity to identify potential areas of synergy in support of recycling reforms that are cohesive and effective across the Pacific Northwest.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Clean Lane: Transforming Organics Management and Reducing Emissions in Lane County

Wednesday, 6/24, 10:15am - 11:15am
Room: Joplin/Seager

Organics management is one of the largest opportunities for reducing emissions in the solid waste sector. This joint session by Claudia Denton (Parametrix) and Jeff Orlandini (Lane County Waste Management Division) showcases the CleanLane Materials Recovery Facility—an Oregon case study integrating advanced recycling and anaerobic digestion to divert 80,000 tons of organic waste annually.

Key Highlights

Quantifiable Climate Benefits: Review data showing an estimated reduction of 4.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent ($MT\ CO_2e$) over 25 years.
Waste-to-Energy Infrastructure: Learn how diverted organics are converted into renewable natural gas (RNG) to offset operational costs and generate carbon credits.
Overcoming Hurdles: Address real-world challenges including methane leakage, utility partner integration, and strict GHG accounting.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Gain actionable strategies from this public-private partnership to replicate similar infrastructure in your community.

Why Attend?

As Oregon invests in next-generation infrastructure, practitioners need proven frameworks that bridge climate goals with materials management. Attendees will leave with practical tools to evaluate anaerobic digestion and navigate complex utility coordination.

CLOSING PLENARY: Waste and Recycling in Oregon—A 50+ Year History

Wednesday, 6/24, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Room: Joplin/Seager

Oregon has long been recognized as a national leader in recycling and waste management. In this session, Oregon DEQ’s Peter Spendelow provides a comprehensive look at the state's 50-year journey, combining historical context with the latest data to illustrate how the system has evolved.

Speaker

Peter Spendelow, Waste Reduction Specialist, Oregon DEQ

Key Highlights

Historical Foundation: Explore Oregon's legacy as a pioneer in the recycling and materials management field.
Data-Driven Insights: The talk will include the latest data on recycling and system performance.
Critical Evaluation: The presentation emphasizes why it is important to evaluate our past to inform future progress.
Context for New Professionals: This session provides essential background knowledge that is particularly valuable for newer members of the field.

Why Attend?

To build a sustainable future, we must first understand the history of how we got here. This session offers a unique opportunity to learn from Peter Spendelow about the milestones that shaped Oregon's leadership and the data that defines our current landscape.