2011 Conference Sessions
TUESDAY, MARCH 1ST
8:00 to 8:30 AM, Grand Ballroom prefunction area on the fifth floor.
Continental Breakfast
Sponsored by Arrowstar, Kice Industries, Sorema Division of Preverio and Waste Management.
Lattes and other specialty coffee drinks available at the Starbucks Coffee shop in the lobby.
8:30 to 10:00 AM, Grand Ballroom C on the fifth floor
Plenary Session I: The New World of Plastics Sustainability
The conference opens with a thorough look at the key driver in today’s market – the sustainability of plastics. Plastics producers, converters and brand owners are revising their business models to incorporate sustainability concepts. This is resulting in significant changes in the supply chain, including in plastics recycling. Three experts will provide extensive information on this important issue.
– Moderator: Ashley Carlson, American Chemistry Council
WALMART’S INDUSTRY-LEADING EFFORTS
To kick off the conference, we’ve asked a leading sustainability executive at America’s largest company to discuss how the retail giant has altered its way of doing business. For instance, the firm’s packaging scorecard has resulted in profound changes in the plastics packaging and recycling industry. You’ll also hear about new efforts planned by Walmart to increase the firm’s sustainability system.
– Patrick Kinnamon, Walmart
GLOBAL ISSUES ON PACKAGING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Sustainability initiatives by material producers, packagers, brand owners and retailers do not take place in isolated situations. Most of these players operate globally, and sustainability is a key motivator for corporate change worldwide. We’ve asked a leading expert to discuss the key trends and issues affecting packaging and the environment globally.
– Joan Pierce, Colgate-Palmolive
THE VARYING VIEWS ON GREEN CLAIMS
Many in the plastics recycling industry say that misleading and false statements are being made about the recyclability or compostability of specific plastic products. These executives say that such claims hurt recycling, especially because generators put these plastics into the recycling stream, expecting they’ll be recycled, when they won’t. In response, the Federal Trade Commission is moving forward in revising its guide to green claims. We’ve asked a leading recycling and sustainability consultant to bring us up to date and to discuss how various organizations, associations and companies are approaching this important issue.
– Tim Buwalda, R.W. Beck
10:00 to 10:45 AM, Third Floor
Morning Beverage Break and Opening of the Trade Show
Sponsored by Davis Standard, Jordan Reduction Solutions, Mohawk Industries and Satake USA
10:45 AM to 12:15 PM, Grand Ballroom C on the fifth floor
Plenary Session II: Learning Lessons From Abroad
The conference continues with three speakers with important information and advice from around the world. Plastics recycling in North America must be flexible in addressing new issues and trends from elsewhere. This session is designed to offer the attendee an understanding of what’s important in Asia and Europe.
– Moderator: Patty Moore, Moore Recycling Associates
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM HOW PLASTICS PACKAGING IS RECYCLED IN EUROPE?
Due to demands by federal legislators and the European Union, packaging producers in Europe have established massive and comprehensive plastic packaging recovery schemes. Some of the ensuing recycling rates are among the highest in the world. How is this possible, and how does it work? What are the learning lessons in terms of plastics recycling? A leading expert will answer your questions.
– Peter Sundt, European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations
THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING OF PLASTICS RECLAIMERS
Analysts note that the gigantic Chinese plastics recycling market includes the full range of processors, from tiny workshops with terrible environmental practices, to large, state-of-the-art operations with immaculate facilities and practices. In order to assure both the suppliers of recovered plastics and the buyers of PCR that their operations meet environmental standards, a volunteer auditing and certification program has been established by Chinese plastics reclaimers. The program’s top executive will provide all the details. Is environmental certification on the horizon?
– Heidi Lv, Intertek Shanghai
WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH WITH WORLD-CLASS RESULTS
The U.K’s remarkable WRAP program has undertaken some breathtaking research in plastics recycling technology and market development. For example, a WRAP project resulted in the world’s first recycled HDPE for use in food-grade applications. Current research efforts, including work on a novel mixed rigids plastics recycling process and a new food-grade application, will be fully analyzed in the conference’s second session.
– Paul Davidson, Waste Resources Action Programme
12:15 to 1:00 PM, Rhythms and Waterbury Ballrooms and the Lagniappe Room on the second floor
Networking Lunch
Sponsored by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers.
1:00 to 1:30 PM, Exhibit Hall, third floor
Break in the Exhibit Hall
1:30 to 3:00 PM, Grand Ballroom C on the fifth floor
Concurrent Session A: Trends in Plastics Recovery
This important session offers current, comprehensive looks at the recovery of three unique streams of scrap plastics. Each speaker will provide new, intriguing data and information that will aid in pushing plastics recycling forward.
– Moderator: Jonathan Levy, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
THE GROWTH IN VINYL RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES
Construction applications are PVC’s largest markets, with vinyl used in numerous window, door, siding, gutter and decking products. What happens to this plastic when buildings are remodeled or demolished or when trim scrap is generated during construction? Is the recovery of this plastic a business opportunity? A leading expert provides the details and offers advice.
– Richard Krock, The Vinyl Institute
UNDERSTANDING WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PET RECYCLING
After a long period of slow growth, the PET reclamation industry has expanded rapidly in the past several years. What are the reasons behind these new plants? Is the expanding market for PCR use in thermoformed products one cause? Will enough scrap PET be available for all these new ventures? One of the world’s top experts in PET recycling offers his views.
– Mike Schedler, LOM Enterprises
EXPANDING THE RECYCLING OF RIGID PACKAGING
A two-year-old, multi-party initiative designed to boost the recovery of mixed non-bottle rigid packaging has produced some fascinating analyses. The project’s executive will summarize the results of bale sortation research, offer an assessment of the potential supply of this material, provide the results of a survey of America’s largest municipal recycling programs and discuss the status of rigid plastics bale specifications.
– Elizabeth Bedard, Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers
1:30 to 3:00 PM, Grand Ballroom A and B on the fifth floor
Concurrent Session B: Important Recycling Technology Efforts
This fascinating session will look at some exciting developments in the U.S. and the U.K. in developing new ways to recover and utilize scrap plastics. Come to this session to see how recycling processing systems may change in the coming years.
–Moderator: Susan Kozora, International Automotive Components and the Society of Plastics Engineers
CAN PP BE USED IN FOOD-CONTACT APPLICATIONS?
The success of using recycled PET and HDPE in food-contact applications has increased the call for possibly using recovered PP in new packaging. WRAP previously assessed the technical opportunities of possibly using an HDPE reclamation process in handling PP, but encountered some unique barriers, including the prevalence lower volatility contaminants. But high industry interest has led to new research. WRAP is now testing different process designs and combinations to see if PP can be recycled back to food-grade packaging. The latest findings will be presented.
– Paul Davidson, Waste Resources Action Programme
MAKING CARBON NANOTUBES FROM SCRAP PLASTICS
Work being undertaken at one of the world’s most renowned research laboratories is focused on the potential for producing carbon nanotubes from recovered plastics. Such nanotubes could then be used to make other products, such as toner, lubricants and rechargeable batteries for phones and laptop computers. A status report on this significant research project will be provided.
– Vilas Pol, Argonne National Laboratory
A third speaker is announced in the addendum
3:00 to 3:30 PM, Exhibit Hall on the third floor
Afternoon Beverage Break in the Exhibit Hall
featuring beignets and café au lait, sponsored by Trex.
3:30 to 5:00 PM, Grand Ballroom C on the fifth floor
Concurrent Session C: Mapping Clear Paths to Increasing Supply
Communities are interested in increasing recycling rates. Plastics recyclers have made significant investments in processing infrastructure. Manufacturers want to plan on consistent material streams. So what’s the key to each? Supply! It is no secret that everyone needs more high-quality material. This session will begin with brief overviews from each stage of the materials management stream: local collection, MRF sortation, reprocessing and application into new consumer goods. But the panel will then engage the audience in a discussion on how best to move past identified supply barriers. The session is hosted by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR).
– Moderator: Steve Alexander, APR
– Stephanie Baker, KW Plastics
– Tom Busard, Plastipak Packaging
– Sean Duffy, FCR
– Scott Mouw, State of North Carolina
– George Peterson, ConAgra Foods
– Debbie Wall, Advanced Drainage Systems
3:30 to 5:00 PM, Grand Ballroom A and B on the fifth floor
Concurrent Session D: Three Formative Issues
This session offers three quite different, yet quite important, assessments that help describe where plastics recycling is headed in the coming years. The facts and findings presented here will help shape materials recovery.
– Moderator: Scott Saunders, KW Plastics and the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
A highlight of each year’s conference is our presentation of the results of the annual survey of plastic container reclaimers. The survey not only provides a crisp picture of how the industry is doing, but it provides metrics so that industry members can better ascertain how they are faring against competitors.
– Henry Leineweber, Plastics Recycling Update
THE RISING REACH OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS
More and more you need to be legally trained to be in the plastics recycling business. In the past year alone, plastic bag bans have been front-page news, federal officials have stopped shipments of scrap plastics into the U.S. from Mexico and we continue to see debate over what is the legal definition of “recyclable” or “biodegradable.” A thorough summary of recent laws and regulations affecting plastics recycling is offered in this session.
– Dylan de Thomas, Resource Recycling
THE STATUS OF SYSTEMS TO CONVERT PLASTICS INTO OIL
Some scrap plastics are just impossible to recycle due to contamination or because they are collected as a difficult-to-separate mixture. And yet this non-recyclable plastic consists of valuable hydrocarbons. We are now seeing some investors stepping up to finance new technologies to convert these plastics into energy products. What’s the status of these efforts? How do these plants operate? This presentation is the result of an important research project funded by the American Chemistry Council with the results released at this conference.
– Kim Holmes, 4R Sustainability
5:15 to 7:00 PM, Exhibit Hall on the third floor
Conference Reception and Musical Entertainment in the Exhibit Hall
Sponsored by Avangard Innovative.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2ND
8:00 to 8:30 AM, In the Grand Ballroom prefunction area on the fifth floor.
Continental Breakfast
Sponsored by Blue Ridge Plastics, EREMA, Pelletron Corp. and S+S.
Lattes and specialty coffee drinks available at the Starbucks Coffee shop in the lobby.
8:30 to 10:00 AM, Grand Ballroom on the fifth floor
Plenary Session III: Greenhouse Gas Savings Through Plastics Recycling
Recent reports document how recycled content plastic is a greenhouse gas and energy saver when compared to virgin resin, but now what? How can plastics reclaimers, government officials, consumer product makers and others use these facts and analysis to develop interest and support, and most importantly, additional supply of recovered plastics? Speakers in this session will highlight specific savings by material type as well as offer examples on how this information is impactful on both the public and private sectors. The session is hosted by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers.
– Moderator: Michael Hughes, Unilever
WHAT IS WASTE MANAGEMENT’S ROLE IN THE GHG DEBATE?
The conference’s second day starts with a portrayal of how materials management, including plastics production, use and recycling, fits in the broad initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases that are currently being discussed in the U.S. How big of an impact is our current way of managing waste? Are there waste management policies that need consideration? Where is the debate over recycling and global warming headed? How will all of these and other issues potentially affect plastics recycling?
– Sara Hartwell, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
WHERE DOES PLASTICS RECYCLING FIT?
Some very intriguing and important research has been completed that clearly shows the effect on greenhouse gas emissions from making, using, discarding or recycling plastic products. The data are startling, and will become more and more important as plastics producers fight for added market share.
– Peter Spendelow, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
WHAT ARE PLASTIC LCAS, AND HOW DO THEY AID THE DEBATE?
The session’s third speaker offers a comprehensive review of recent life-cycle analyses (LCAs) that provide cradle-to-cradle assessments of various materials, including specific resins. What does this body of work show and what are the clear issues raised by this research?
– Dave Cornell, Association for Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers
10:00 to 10:30 AM, Exhibit Hall on the third floor
Morning Beverage Break in the Exhibit Hall
Sponsored by Buhler Group, Dorstener Wire Tech, PARC Corp. and UNISENSOR GmbH.
10:30 AM to Noon, Grand Ballroom C on the fifth floor
Concurrent Session E: New Ways of Handling an Old Problem
This conference session discusses why plastics waste management may change in the future and then offers portrayals of how this change might take place.
– Moderator: DeAnne Toto, Recycling Today
GETTING EVERYONE ON BOARD
Everyone knows more waste, including plastics, can be recycled. But not everyone agrees on how to fund such an improved recycling system. As a first step in potentially moving forward, the U.S. EPA has asked more than two dozen top governmental, corporate and non-profit organization leaders to address exactly that issue. A project leader gives you a complete update.
– Kent Foerster, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
RELIEVING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF THE COST OF RECYCLING
The U.S. has been slow to adopt extended producer responsibility as a guiding principle for municipal waste recycling. But that appears to be changing, and a leading actor is this organizational effort offers his assessment of the landscape.
– Ted Siegler, DSM Environmental
THE REALITY IN THE NORTH LAND
To move forward in expanding the recovery of scrap plastics from homes and businesses, one only needs to look to Canada for key learning lessons. We’ve asked a former Canadian federal recycling official to give us a blunt critique, based on years of effort to boost plastics recycling in that country.
– Duncan Bury, Duncan Bury Consulting
10:30 AM to Noon, Grand Ballroom A and B on the fifth floor
Concurrent Session F: Important Ways the Market Will Change
In response to rising pressure for plastics and plastics recycling to more accurately reflect the real world, several new initiatives are reaching fruition. One calls for the modernization of the current resin code used on plastic products, while a second effort is designed to provide checks and balances regarding green claims, including statements about the recyclability of a plastic product. This session brings it all together in one place.
– Moderator: Andy Campbell, Continuous Improvement Fund
GET READY FOR A NEW RESIN CODING SYSTEM
In a multi-year initiative, a subcommittee of the American Society of Testing and Materials is taking a look at the current resin coding system and considering if and how it might be changed. The group’s chairman joins us to provide an update and to lay out how potential changes might affect current practices, including the recycling of plastics.
– Tom Pecorini, Eastman Chemical
KEY IDEAS ON A NEW CODING SYSTEM
For ASTM to develop a widely accepted revision to the resin coding system, input is required from a variety of sectors. An important assessment was completed that looked at how many of those in the plastics recycling chain, including local governments and materials recovery facilities, viewed the current coding system, and discussed how it could be changed to help improve plastics recycling. The study’s author provides all the important details.
– Bridget Anderson, New York City Department of Sanitation
ASSURING THAT SUSTAINABILITY CLAIMS ARE ACCURATE
Consumers need to be assured that sustainability claims, such as a package’s recyclability, are true. The proliferation of recycling-related labels on today’s plastics packaging creates confusion, and a key organization is trying to address this important issue. The Labeling for Recovery Project has the potential to help improve plastics recycling.
– Anne Bedarf, Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Noon to 1:00 PM, Rhythms and Waterbury Ballrooms and the Lagniappe Room on the second floor
Networking Lunch
Sponsored by the American Chemistry Council.
1:00 to 2:30 PM, Grand Ballroom on the fifth floor
Plenary Session IV: Resin Markets, 2011 and Beyond
The conference’s final session provides a thorough assessment of the key drivers in current and future resin markets in North America and the rest of the world. Numerous market factors are in play for those buying and selling engineered resins, including ABS, PC and HIPS. Do global trends point to improved pricing for recovered plastics? What are the keys to monitoring today’s market? A comprehensive analysis will be offered at the start of the conference’s final session. Will the market for the highest-volume resin continue to have steep price rises and dips? And where will new global production occur? A widely-recognized industry expert will offer his views on these and other key conditions affecting current and future polyethylene demand and supply. Will we see more of the same, or will the PE market change once again. A leading PET resin market analyst will close the 2011 conference with an extensive overview of today’s market dynamics, plus offer his professional projections on where PET markets are headed. Will we see more consolidation among prime producers? Is container lightweighting to continue? Will PCR capture more of the market?
Click to view the sessions from the 2009 Plastics Recycling Conference
– Moderator: Craig Cookson, American Chemistry Council
A LOOK AT KEY MARKET VARIABLES FOR ENGINEERED RESINS
– Adrian Beale, CMAI GlobalWILL POLYETHYLENE MARKETS REMAIN VOLATILE?
– Nick Vafiadis, CMAI GlobalWHATS AHEAD IN 2011 FOR PET RESIN PRODUCERS AND USERS?
– Chase Willett, CMAI Global
Click to view the sessions from the 2010 Plastics Recycling Conference
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