Sessions

 

SESSIONS

Monday, June 23

LGBTQIA2S+ Affinity Group Gathering

Monday, 6/23, 10:30am - 11:45am
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this LGBTQIA2S+ affinity group gathering will focus on community-building, networking, and resource sharing in a supportive space.

LGBTQIA2S+ Ally Workshop

Monday, 6/23, 10:30am - 11:45am
Room: Lower Level Exhibit Hall

Sponsored By

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this LGBTQIA2S+ ally workshop 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 LGBTQIA2S+ colleagues.

OPENING PLENARY: Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going: Next Steps for the RMA

Monday, 6/23, 1:15pm - 2:15pm
Room: B

 

Speakers:

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.

BIPOC Affinity Group Gathering

Monday, 6/23, 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Room: AJ

Sponsored By

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 gathering will focus on community-building, networking, and resource sharing in a supportive space.

BIPOC Ally Workshop

Monday, 6/23, 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Room: Lower Level Exhibit Hall

Sponsored By

Designed to foster community, provide support, and strengthen our collective commitment to equity and inclusion within the recycling and sustainability industry, this BIPOC ally workshop 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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: How Will Physical Climate Change Affect Your Operation – A Peer Learning Exercise

Monday, 6/23, 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Speaker:

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.

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, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Speakers:

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Tribal Materials Management Program Successes

Monday, 6/23, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Room: AJ

Sponsored By

EFI Recycling

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.

Reception

Monday, 6/23, 5:00pm - 6:15pm
Room: EFGHI

Sponsored By

GoodLife Brewing Networking Event

Monday, 6/23, 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Board shuttles in front of conference center

Sponsored By

Tuesday, June 24

PLENARY: Legislative Update

Tuesday, 6/24, 9:00am - 10:15am
Room: B

 

 

Speakers:

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: PFAS Regulatory and Technical Essentials for Materials Re-Use

Tuesday, 6/24, 10:30am - 11:45am
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Speakers:

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Q&A With CAA

Tuesday, 6/24, 10:30am - 11:45am
Room: AJ

 

Speakers:

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: The Future of Reuse: Advocacy, Action, and Innovation

Tuesday, 6/24, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Speakers:

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Contamination Reductions Strategies from Across the U.S. and Canada: Research Evaluation and On-the-Ground Learnings

Tuesday, 6/24, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Room: AJ

Sponsored By

Speakers:

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.

Roundtable Discussions

Tuesday, 6/24, 2:15pm - 3:00pm

Sponsored By

Topics include:

  • Education and Outreach Under the RMA
    Champion: Alex Bertolucci, Circular Action Alliance
  • What Would an Oregon Statewide Reuse & Repair System Look Like?
    Champion: John Deuel, Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
  • Unlocking the Plastics Potential: How EPR Can Power Local Circular Economies
    Champion: Hendrik Dullinger, EFS Plastics US
  • Contamination Reduction Strategies for Curbside Recycling
    Champion: Samantha Longshore, The Recycling Partnership
  • Master Recycler Programs Throughout the State
    Champion: Stacy Ludington, Metro
  • What’s Next for NW Oregon: Insights from the Sustainable Materials Task Force
    Champion: Bailey Payne, Benton County
  • Metro’s RID Patrol Workforce Transition Program
    Champion: SB Collins and Abby Herrera, Metro

CONCURRENT SESSION: Reuse in Action: Community-Led Innovations in Portland and Central Oregon

Tuesday, 6/24, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Room: AJ

Sponsored By

Speakers:

Moderator: Kavi Chokshi, Rethink Waste Program Manager, The Environmental Center

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Composting Biosolids on the Oregon Coast - From a Waste Byproduct to Valuable Resource

Tuesday, 6/24, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Speaker:

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.

Reception

Tuesday, 6/24, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Room: Cascade Deck

Sponsored By

Dinner

Tuesday, 6/24, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Room: EFGHI

Sponsored By

Casino Night

Tuesday, 6/24, 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Room: Lower Level Exhibit Hall

Sponsored By

Wednesday, June 25

CONCURRENT SESSION: Reducing Textile Waste – Giving Clothing a Second Life: The RePatch Program and Rugged Thread’s Journey

Wednesday, 6/25, 10:15am - 11:15am
Room: CD

Sponsored By

Speakers:

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.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Demo of Service Providers Portal with CAA

Wednesday, 6/25, 10:15am - 11:15am
Room: AJ

 Sponsored By

Speaker:

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.

Thank You to Our Sustainable Oregon 2025 Sponsors

Title Sponsor

Waste Connections

Scholarship Sponsor

Metro