2018 Summit Agenda

For conference attendees - Network with the CAFR Board of Directors and staff, sponsors, exhibitors and local dignitaries in the Business Partner Showcase. Light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments provided.

Dan has more than 30 years of experience in recycling. Dan lived in China for a year, was part of a joint venture that owned and operated a newsprint and tissue mill in China and has travelled to China extensively in the last 20 years. With Potential Industries, Dan has been in the business of closing the loop through all aspects of recycling including sorting-processing at their regional Material Recovery Facility (MRF), municipal operating and marketing contracts, trans-loading, exporting, transfer station and traditional recycling. Dan has a BS in Economics, a Masters in International Business Management and a PhD in Environmental Policy. As a skier and former CO resident, Dan is no stranger to Colorado or to the Snowmass area. Dan will address the real impact of what's going on in China and what Colorado needs to do to adjust and to attract end markets.

How do we collectively as CAFR use city and county policies to improve waste diversion and reduction?

In 2017 CAFR developed the Front Range and Rural Round Tables to address specific challenges our diverse communities face with waste diversion and reduction. This year's round table continues that work and explores specific policies we can work on over the next year in a collaborative manner. What actionable items can communities take THIS YEAR to move the needle? From CAFR's work with communities like Colorado Springs, we have developed a pathway for change. In this round table we will share the template, discuss how it has worked and then focus on one action item communities can do in the next twelve months.

Subject Matter Experts

• Sarah Jones, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council

• Jamie Harkins, City of Boulder

Sponsored by Boulder County Resource Conservation Division

There is incredible opportunity for landfills to help drive waste diversion. Landfill operators across the state are pursuing recycling and composting to help extend the life of their landfill and even create a new source of revenue. However, obstacles remain with landfills facing significant costs to open a new cell or return to compliance with state regulations. In this round table attendees will brainstorm how landfills can be a driver for waste diversion within the current regulatory climate.

Subject Matter Experts

• Stephen Gillette, Larmier County Solid Waste

• Cliff Henry, Yuma County Landfill

• Barrett Jensen, Mesa County Solid Waste

Sponsored by Pitkin County Solid Waste Center

Plastics are one of the biggest hurdles in waste diversion. We need to find a way to transform plastics into a resource versus a waste material. This round table will examine possibilities for creating local collection and processing solutions for plastics.

Sponsored by Rehrig Pacific Company

This workshop focuses on how to get a great idea from paper to actual fruition. Learn how to develop a business plan that will attract investors. What do investors look for in a start up company? Learn how to secure financing, from venture capitalists and angel investors to banks and government grants.

The cannabis industry generated over $1.5 billion in sales and over $247 million in tax revenue for the state of Colorado in 2017. If captured, the amount of recyclable and compostable material generated in this industry can help improve Colorado's recycling rate, but there are hurdles to overcome. Industry professional's talk about the needed policies, infrastructure and end markets to allow them to help move the Colorado recycling needle.

View list of business partners

How can we be most effective at transforming Colorado into a national leader in waste reduction, recovery and diversion with a new governor and legislature in 2019?

In 2018 Colorado will elect a new governor and a new legislature. This offers us a great opportunity to develop new leadership at the state level and pass policies that move us forward. During this round table participants discuss policy ideas (both administrative and legislative) that CAFR can actively pursue over the next two years.

In this round table participants and data experts explore the data that is being collected and used nationally as well as how model communities are collecting data. Participants identify our current challenges in getting on the same page statewide and discuss best practices to draft a framework for collecting data. The long-term goal for the next year is to build a toolkit for communities around the state.

Subject Matter Experts

• Winn Cowman, Souder, Miller and Associates

• Wolf Kray, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

• Caroline Mitchell, City of Fort Collins

• Grant Parsons, Alpine Waste & Recycling

Sponsored by City of Loveland

Construction and demolition material makes up anywhere from 15-80% of the waste stream in Colorado and represents some of the heaviest material going to landfill. This round table discusses how to create closed-loop solutions for C&D recovery and diversion both on the Front Range and in rural communities.

With the advent of China's National Sword policy, it is imperative that Colorado develop its own in-state end markets for recycling commodities. In this round table participants discuss what makes a dynamic environment for business development, from state and local government policy to infrastructure.

Suject Matter Experts

• Eric Heyboer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

• Anne Johnson, Resource Recycling Systems, RRS

• John Lair, Momentum Recycling

• Sumer Sorenstein, Manufacturers Edge

• Tony Wibbeler, Bolder Industries

Sponsored by MillerCoors

CAFR's Recycling Awards fundraiser on the Garden Terrace at the Westin Snowmass Resort recognizes the 2018 recycling award recipients. Dinner and entertainment provided. Cost: $55

Too many round tables, not enough time! Get caught up on what action items came out of the Monday round tables.

View list of business partners

This workshop walks through the ways that cleantech companies and entrepreneurs are developing solutions for collecting and processing recyclable materials and how technology plays a part in creating end markets for recyclable materials. Experts explain how cities and counties can help facilitate innovative solutions to recycling in their communities.

Subject Matter Experts

• Jan Rayman, ReWall

• Rob Writz, AMP Robotics

Is there a way to increase waste diversion efforts by defining the ways and means of collection processes? Policies like single-hauler collection and pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) are being discussed state-wide; some communities are strongly in favor while others push back. If your community participates, or is considering single-hauler trash and recycling, this session is for you!

Subject Matter Experts

• Susan Finzel-Aldred, Pueblo City and County Health Department

• Scott Hutchings, Waste Management

• Mark Petrovich, Republic Services

• Doug Short, City of Lafayette

In 2013, Colorado passed legislation that prohibits the disposal of waste electronic devices in the landfill. Five years later we have large amounts of illegal dumping, costly disposal for residents and municipalities and no relief in sight. The missing link and the real problem is that Colorado lacks an in-state end-market processor. Join this action-oriented round table to brainstorm how Colorado can solve this problem locally.

This round table focuses on the responsibility of industry and local, rural and state governments to develop markets for compost as part of the promotion of organics collection and diversion.

Subject Matter Experts

• Greg Fischer, Colorado Department of Transportation

• Bryce Isaacson, Western Disposal Services

• Dan Matsch, Eco-Cycle

• Ruth Watts, BASF Corporation

• Bob Yost, A1 Organics

Sponsored by BASF Corporation

Hear from Colorado gubernatorial candidates on their ideas and vision for building Colorado's waste reduction, recovery and diversion economy. During this plenary, we will ask the candidates to respond to the suggestions that have been generated from the round tables during the Summit.

The City of Aspen partners with Pitkin County to provide a convenient location to recycle materials at the Rio Grande Recycling Center in Aspen. The center is used by 100-200 people per day and accepts single stream, household batteries, textiles and seasonal yard waste. Just across the pedestrian path from the center is the John Denver Sanctuary, which serves both as a beautiful community resource and a stormwater treatment facility. Water is collected from the downtown area and flows through a natural filtration system before being released into the Roaring Fork River.

The Pitkin County Solid Waste Center conserves the environment and extends the life of the landfill by reducing source generation through public education, appropriately reusing materials through aggregate and compost diversion and sales, and recycling and reusing valuable commodities with state-of-the-art collection programs.

Hike to Aspen Skiing Company's micro-hydro plant, located a short distance from the Westin Snowmass Resort. The 115-kW micro-hydro plant captures energy from runoff in the Cirque headwall. Learn about this and other sustainability projects of the Aspen Skiing Company.

This workshop outlines the zero-waste pillar in corporate sustainability. From inception to execution, learn how to develop a company's zero waste team.