Join the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, for the 9th Massachusetts Organics Recycling Summit - Greening from the Ground Up! - at the Devens Common Center at SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Devens, Massachusetts. Attracting more than 200 people from 14 states, the Summit brings together speakers and topics relevant to organics diversion and composting across the Commonwealth.

Explore the potential of carbon credits for organics related projects. Hear updates on local anaerobic digestion projects, as well as efforts to use compost in storm water control and green building applications. Learn how your community can implement food waste collection through school initatives and municipal drop-off programs. Don't forget to check out the ever popular exhibit hall and on-site equipment demonstrations. Take this opportunity to talk with like-minded individuals about how to advance food waste diversion efforts! An optional second day includes open houses at several composting facilities.

Who Should Attend?

• Organics Recycling Professionals: Commercial and municipal composters, haulers, and equipment vendors.
• Government Officials: Recycling, health, public works, wastewater, and composting.
• Food Waste/Organics Generators: Supermarkets, hotels, institutional food service, restaurants, healthcare, colleges, and corrections.

Agenda

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

8:00-9:15 Breakfast, Registration & Exhibit Hall

9:15-9:30 Welcome Remarks

9:30-10:30 Plenary Session: Harvest the Benefits of Carbon Credits

Curious about how climate change and carbon related credits connect to organics?  Bill Lamkin from the MassDEP Climate Strategies Program will speak alongside Hugh Whalan of the Environmental Credit Corp., an aggregator of voluntary carbon offset credits. Get a Carbon 101 overview from the speakers, and hear about both the voluntary and regulatory aspects of the carbon credit market in Massachusetts, New England and beyond.

10:30-11:00 Break & Exhibit Hall

11:00-12:15 Breakout Sessions

• Session A: Anaerobic Digestion: A Growing Trend
  Moderated by Katherine Gekas, Neighborhood Power
• At Wastewater Treatment Facilities: William Fitzgerald, Town of Fairhaven & Eian Lynch, Brown and Caldwell
• On the Farm: Bill Jorgenson, SJH & Co., Inc.
• Session B: Alternative Applications for Compost
  Moderated by Andrea Atkinson, The Green Roundtable
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Demonstration Project - Utilizing Compost for Erosion & Stormwater Control: Bruce Fulford, City Soil & Greenhouse, & Bob Spencer, Environmental Planning Consultant
• Utilizing Recycled Soils on Green Roofs: Jeff Licht, Ed.D, Botanicals Nursery, LLC

12:15-1:45 Lunch, Keynote Speakers & Exhibit Hall

MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt and Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) Commissioner Doug Petersen highlight their agencies' organics programs, goals and ongoing inter-agency cooperation.

1:45-2:30 Breakout Sessions

• Session A: Municipal Food Waste Diversion Opportunities
  Moderated by Ann McGovern, MassDEP
• Learn how municipalities and schools are incorporating food waste collection into their programs: Amy Donovan, Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, and Karen DiFranza, Hubbardston Elementary & Quabbin Regional High Schools 
• Session B: Leftovers: From the Plate to the Plant
  Moderated by Lorenzo Macaluso, Center for Ecological Technology
• Three commercial sectors discuss their efforts to manage food waste, including: equipment selection, operational issues, sustainability goals and successes to date: Hermine Levey Weston, Shriners Hospital for Children; Rob Gogan, Harvard University; Matt Moore, The Seaport Hotel

2:30-3:00 Break, Dessert & Exhibit Hall

3:00-4:00 Roundtable Discussions

• Roundtable A: Food Waste Generators, Haulers & Their Composting Experiences
  Moderated by John F. Connolly, J.F. Connolly & Associates
• From employee training to selecting collection containers, hear from the experts on how they  operate a successful food waste collection program. Featuring supermarket, food waste hauler and Boston Convention & Exhibition Center representatives.
• Roundtable B: Organics Regulatory and Policy Discussion
  Moderated by Jamie Doucette, MassDEP
• An interactive discussion on state policy and regulatory issues affecting organics diversion. An opportunity to share ideas and strategies for how the Solid Waste Master Plan and MassDEP regulations can be changed to foster and enable greater diversion of organics.
• Roundtable C: Financing Opportunities
  Moderated by Alissa Bilfield, MassDEP
• Interactive discussion featuring Carol Brennan, BDC Capital, The Recycling Loan Fund; Paula Camara, The Small Business Development Center; and a representative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

3:00-5:00 MassRecycle College and University Recycling Council (CURC)

Thursday, March 5, 2009 (optional)

11:00-1:00 (select one)

• Compost Facility Open Houses (directions will be provide at the registration table)
• Brick Ends Farm, Hamilton: On-farm food waste composting, Allu bucket and screening demonstration, and a specially designed food waste collection vehicle.
• Groundscapes Express, Wrentham: Demonstration of storm water and erosion control techniques utilizing compost in filter berms, filter socks and blankets. Production and application of compost tea.
• Mass Natural, Westminster: See a BW Rotary Drum and a Compost-A-Matic from Farmer Automatic of America Inc.

Additional Summit Information

Devens Common Center at SpringHill Suites by Marriott
31 Andrews Parkway
Devens, MA 01434
Get directions from Google Maps

Hotel Rooms: Available at $119 plus tax. To make reservations, call 888-287-9400 and mention that you will be attending the Organics Recycling Summit.

Weather: In case of inclement weather, please call 617-654-6580 and listen for a recorded message regarding conference and training status.

Register Online: Web site

Platinum Sponsors

Mirel Biobased Plastics
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC
Untha America
W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Contact for additional information or if interested in exhibiting or sponsoring: Morgan Harriman at 617-654-6580 or morgan.harriman@state.ma.us