CRRA2019

Project Manager

Jeff Ziegenbein is the President of the  CA Association of Composting Producers and Project Manager of the Inland Empire Regional Composting Authority. He's been composting for more than 2 years and deals directly with market, compliance, and permitting challenges. 

California is the world's 5th largest economy and is determined to reduce organic waste being sent to landfills which is expected to push over 15m additional tons of organics into a saturated infrastructure over the next 6 years. Facilities are being developed but often the pace of development trails the requirements of the diversion from landfills. Southern California is disproportunately affected by this as the region holds most of the state's waste-generating population. This talk will address a case study of the Inland Empire Regional Composting Facility and other facilities in the region and how they are tackling these challenges. 

Area General Manager

With a background in heavy equipment, renewable biomass processing, operations management and revenue generation, Kurt has built a career focused on customer solutions, process improvement and sustainable economies.  Utilizing his Operations Management skills he has built a first class organics composting facility focused on product manufacturing and end use solutions in a truly circular economy model.  He has achieved the highest level of compliance while building market awareness and reinventing the business revenue model.

Prior to joining SA Recycling Mr. Schoppe spent 18 years with Morbark, Inc. building biomass and organic waste solutions for the “green waste” recycling sector.  

This talk will cover the unique challenges of composting in the desert region as well as a discussion of the unique SA Recycling successes and challenges with focus on need for local government procurement and market development.

Director, OC Waste & Recycling

Tom Koutroulis is the Director of OC Waste & Recycling, overseeing the solid waste disposal systems serving Orange County’s residents and 34 cities, operating three active landfills and four household hazardous waste collection centers.

Tom began his career in the waste and recycling industry over 29 years ago in a family business. Prior to being appointed Director in 2017, he served as Senior Manager, Organics Project Development for Waste Management, Inc.

Expanding Essential Public Services – Transforming a Culture
Because of increasing legislative demands and lack of infrastructure, additional organics recycling facilities are desperately needed within California. Specifically, the need in Orange County is greater than any of the 57 other counties due to AB1594 (PGM as ADC no longer counts as diversion) and SB1383 (reduction in GHG with Food Donation and Recycling mandates). Sharing perspectives on the collaborative efforts to augment the essential public services of a sanitary landfill system to incorporate organics recycling through composting. From landfilling to land amendment, the journey begins.