“Compostable Plastic and Its Role in Organics Recycling”
The Minnesota Composting Council is please to present the definitive work shop on compostable plastics. In addition, after the work shop there will be a tour of the Natur-Tec labs.
|
When: November 10, 2016
Where: Circle Pines City Hall, Workshop: 9:00 am to 1:30 pm Tour: 2:00 to 3:30, registration begins at 8:30 am Agenda |
|
Speakers include:
Dr. Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University: “Understanding the Science behind Compostable Plastics & the supporting ASTM standards”
Dr. Narayan is a distinguished professor at Michigan State University doing research in the areas of Engineering and Design of Sustainable, bio-based products, biodegradable plastics and polymers, reactive extrusion polymerization and processing, studies in polymer biodegradation and composting. A focus area is on developing LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) protocols for meeting a product's environmental stewardship. Another focus area is biofiber - reinforced composites using synthetic and natural polymer matrices.
Dr. Narayan has published 80 refereed publications in leading journals, holes 14 patents, edited three books and one expert dossier in the area of bio-based polymeric materials. His programs is the preeminent program in the bio-based polymeric materials.
Rhodes Yepsen, Executive Director of the Biodegradable Products Institute: “Certification of Compostable Plastics”
Mr. Yepsen will be speaking about the process to certify compostable plastics. He is an accomplished expert in both biodegradable products and the composting industries. During the last 5 years Yepsen has worked for Novamont, as North American marketing manager, during which time he served on the Board of Directors at the US Composting Council and BPI.
The BPI was founded in 1999, and its mission is to promote the production, use and appropriate end of lives for materials and products that are designed to fully biodegrade in specific biologically active environments, such as industrial composting. BPI’s role to date has primarily been as a certification authority, and currently has over 180 members from North America, Europe and Asia, using the BPI Compostable Logo on over 4,900 products.
Miriam Holsinger, Program Development Manager for Eureka Recycling: “Compostable Plastics at Zero Waste Events”
Ms. Holsinger will share Eureka Recycling’s experiences working with event organizers and vendors to hold large zero-waste events. From organizer, vendor and volunteer education to helping find compostable alternatives for unique food-service items, Eureka’s BMPs working with large events like the Walker Art Centers Rock Garden event, New Belgium Brewery’s Tour de Fat and Taste of Minnesota to increase waste diversion at your events.
Nature-Tec Tour: Enjoy a behind the seenes journey into the making of some of these commodity products!!
Time: 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
See first-hand how Natur-Tec (NTIC) transforms the bioplastics resins into finished products. You'll be able to see the lab scale film extrusion process, then follow the product through the quality control testing processes performed on all production runs. Quality control testing procedures include formation confirmation using ash test, various mechanical performance tests and loading capacity established for new products. In addition, NTIC has lab equipment to validate product claims of biodegradability and compostability through our Spectroscopy and Thermal analysis equipment.
Dr. Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University: “Understanding the Science behind Compostable Plastics & the supporting ASTM standards”
Dr. Narayan is a distinguished professor at Michigan State University doing research in the areas of Engineering and Design of Sustainable, bio-based products, biodegradable plastics and polymers, reactive extrusion polymerization and processing, studies in polymer biodegradation and composting. A focus area is on developing LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) protocols for meeting a product's environmental stewardship. Another focus area is biofiber - reinforced composites using synthetic and natural polymer matrices.
Dr. Narayan has published 80 refereed publications in leading journals, holes 14 patents, edited three books and one expert dossier in the area of bio-based polymeric materials. His programs is the preeminent program in the bio-based polymeric materials.
Rhodes Yepsen, Executive Director of the Biodegradable Products Institute: “Certification of Compostable Plastics”
Mr. Yepsen will be speaking about the process to certify compostable plastics. He is an accomplished expert in both biodegradable products and the composting industries. During the last 5 years Yepsen has worked for Novamont, as North American marketing manager, during which time he served on the Board of Directors at the US Composting Council and BPI.
The BPI was founded in 1999, and its mission is to promote the production, use and appropriate end of lives for materials and products that are designed to fully biodegrade in specific biologically active environments, such as industrial composting. BPI’s role to date has primarily been as a certification authority, and currently has over 180 members from North America, Europe and Asia, using the BPI Compostable Logo on over 4,900 products.
Miriam Holsinger, Program Development Manager for Eureka Recycling: “Compostable Plastics at Zero Waste Events”
Ms. Holsinger will share Eureka Recycling’s experiences working with event organizers and vendors to hold large zero-waste events. From organizer, vendor and volunteer education to helping find compostable alternatives for unique food-service items, Eureka’s BMPs working with large events like the Walker Art Centers Rock Garden event, New Belgium Brewery’s Tour de Fat and Taste of Minnesota to increase waste diversion at your events.
Nature-Tec Tour: Enjoy a behind the seenes journey into the making of some of these commodity products!!
Time: 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
See first-hand how Natur-Tec (NTIC) transforms the bioplastics resins into finished products. You'll be able to see the lab scale film extrusion process, then follow the product through the quality control testing processes performed on all production runs. Quality control testing procedures include formation confirmation using ash test, various mechanical performance tests and loading capacity established for new products. In addition, NTIC has lab equipment to validate product claims of biodegradability and compostability through our Spectroscopy and Thermal analysis equipment.
Midwest Compost Operator Training Course was a huge success!
The Minnesota Composting Council would like to thank the students, instructors and sponsors for making this years Midwest Compost Operator Training course a rousing success.
Click here for a slide show of this years school.
The Midwest Compost School has been conducted annually, since 1995, and has rotated between Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. It is an intensive 3-day program that offers the basic information need for all levels of compost facilities.
Subjects covered by Compost Specialists and experienced composters and include:
- composting basics
- regulations and permitting
- compost quality and testing
- marketing.
An emphasis was placed on the use of food scraps and similar feed stocks. Hands on activities were included. Certificates were provided to participants upon successful completion of the voluntary exam at the end of the school.
Speakers
Dr. Kapil Arora is Extension Engineer for Iowa State University Extension with expertise in composting, water quality, and environmental regulations. Kapil is currently involved in developing and conducting a composting education.
|
Ginny Black is the Chair of the Minnesota Composting Council (MNCC).
|
Tim Farnan, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Tim Farnan works in the Sustainable Materials Management Unit at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. |
Emeritus Professor Tom Halbach is an Extension Educator and State Specialist for Waste Management and Water Quality at the University of Minnesota.
|
Anne Ludvik is the Director of Organics Development for Specialized Environmental Technologies Inc., which operates multiple composting sites in Twin Cities metro locations in Minnesota and operates "The Mulch Store".
|
oe Van Rossum is a Senior Lecturer for the University of Wisconsin -Extension's Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
|
Dr. Paul Walker is the former Director of the compost research facility at the Illinois State University Research Farm in Lexington, IL.
|
