Southern California
Conversion Technology


2016 Conference

Thank you to all attendees, speakers, moderators, and sponsors for making the 2016 Southern California Conversion Technology Conference a success! Over 20 speakers and 200 attendees from academia, nearby jurisdictions, regulatory agencies, elected offices, and community environmental groups engaged in discussion and expressed willingness to learn more about the role each stakeholder can play to advance the development of conversion technologies throughout the region. Speaker presentations and videos of opening remarks, keynotes and closing remarks are now available. Click below for the videos and keynote studies, or above on the Conference tab for all links.

Opening Remarks Video
Panel 1: Conversion Technologies and Best Practices Throughout the World Video
Panel 2: Environmental Findings from CT Studies and Projects Video
Keynote Video with Study: Wasting Opportunities
Panel 3: Conversion Technologies and Sustainability Video
Panel 4: CA Projects, Permitting, and Legislation Video
Closing Remarks/Questions Video

Los Angeles County Public Works prepared a “Comparative Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis of Alternative Scenarios for Waste Treatment and/or Disposal”

The Comparative Analysis shows that an Integrated Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) with Conversion Technologies will achieve a net reduction in cumulative greenhouse gas emissions as compared to landfilling post-recycled residuals from a mixed-waste MRF.

To view the Briefing Report of the Comparative Analysis, click here (1.7MB, PDF). To view the full report, click here (4.2MB, PDF) and to view the full report with appendices, click here (12.0MB, PDF).

Conference Presentations

Thank you to all attendees, speakers, moderators, and sponsors for making this conference a success!

To view presentation and related material from the conference, click on the links in the agenda below.

LA County Public Works logo AGENDA
Los Angeles County Public Works presents:
2016 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
July 29, 2016 / 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
900 S. Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, CA / Conference Rooms A-C
Socal Conversion Technology logo

Agenda




About the Southern California Conversion Technology Conference


Despite the significant benefits of conversion technologies, their development has been slow in California due to a number of challenges including a lack of financial incentives, uncertain legislative and regulatory framework, and misconceptions regarding conversion technologies. The goal of this conference is to educate attendees on how we can overcome these challenges.

Conference agenda will include:

  • Presentations from State Senator Ricardo Lara and Assemblymember Mike Gatto
  • Discussion on successful implementation and best practices of conversion technologies throughout the world
  • Presentations on the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the integrated use of conversion technologies
  • How to incorporate conversion technologies into sustainability initiatives
  • Information about California projects, permitting, and legislation


Thank You to our sponsors:

Speaker Bios

Click on a speakers name to see their bio!

Agenda




Keynote Speaker


Ethan Elkind

Ethan Elkind
Ethan Elkind is the Director of the Climate Change and Business Program with a joint appointment at the UC Berkeley School of Law and the UCLA School of Law. He researches and writes on policies that would boost business solutions to combat climate change. Show more Show less




Welcome and Opening Remarks


Shari Afshari

Shari Afshari
Shari Afshari has been with Los Angeles County for 36 years. Currently, she serves as a Deputy Director for Los Angeles County Public Works over Environmental Services. In this role, she is responsible for ensuring the environmentally sustainable management of solid waste and recycling for over one million unincorporated area residents and 20,000 commercial accounts; operation and maintenance of sewer infrastructure for a population of over 2 million people within the County Unincorporated area and a total of 39 cities;
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Moderators


Bonny Bentzin

Bonny Bentzin
Bonny Bentzin is Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer at UCLA. As a key member of the leadership team for sustainability she manages sustainability across the university and working to foster partnerships among academic, research, and operational departments to create a world class living laboratory for sustainability. Show more Show less

Gary Petersen

Gary Petersen
Gary Petersen is a partner in Environmental Problem Solving Enterprises, which he co-founded in 1997. The firm specializes in advancing environmentally preferable products and services, including the development of renewable energy and fuels, emerging green technologies, and sustainable design and development. Show more Show less

Coby Skye

Coby Skye
Coby Skye is a Senior Civil Engineer working for the Environmental Programs Division of Los Angeles County Public Works. Mr. Skye received a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering from Polytechnic University as well as a Masters in Public Administration from California State University at Long Beach, and is a registered Civil Engineer in California. Show more Show less

Eugene Tseng

Eugene Tseng
Eugene Tseng is an Environmental Engineer / Attorney with 44 years of design, regulatory, and construction experience with MRFs, transfer stations, and Alternative Technology Facilities. He holds various process patents on new construction materials made from the recycled waste stream. Dr. Tseng is an Engineering professor at UCLA Extension’s Recycling and MSW Management Program and also a law Professor with the University of West L.A. School of Law. Show more Show less


Panelists


Christine Arbogast

Christine Arbogast
Christine Arbogast, PE, Vice President, Solid Waste Division, Tetra Tech BAS. Ms. Arbogast has over 30 years of civil engineering and solid waste planning experience in environmental and waste management projects. She has specialized experience in directing long-term strategic planning studies for public solid waste management systems and has managed the development of expansion and master development plans for large regional landfills. Show more Show less

Karen Bertram

Karen Bertram
Karen Bertram is CEO/President of Integrated Energy LLC, a Veteran-Woman Owned Company, specializing in the commercial development of Waste Conversion Technologies. Ms. Bertram has over 16 years experience in the development and commercialization of Waste Conversion technologies in California. Show more Show less

Frank Campbell

Frank Campbell
Mr. Campbell co-founded Interstate Waste Technologies (IWT) in 1990. He is a member of the Board of Directors and President. IWT develops waste to energy projects incorporating Thermoselect high temperature gasification technologies. Energy is produced in the form of alternative fuels or electricity. Show more Show less

Tim Cesarek

Tim Cesarek
Tim Cesarek joined Enerkem's management team as Senior Vice President, Business Development, in March 2012. He has acquired over 25 years of experience in business development, private equity and corporate venture capital. Show more Show less

Craig M. Cookson

Craig M. Cookson
Craig Cookson is the Director of Sustainability and Recycling for the Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council, a trade association representing the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. Craig is responsible for leading the Plastics Division’s strategic national initiatives to increase the recycling of plastics, advance opportunities for energy recovery, and promote awareness of plastics’ role in providing sustainable solutions to society’s greatest challenges. Show more Show less

Jacques Franco

Jacques Franco
With over twenty-five years of work experience in environmental science in California, Jacques is a Science and Policy Fellow at the UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy. At CalRecycle, he was the lead technical staff for urban biomass to fuels and energy conversion technologies. Jacques was responsible for emerging technology assessment, research and analysis and provided technical support to jurisdictions and other stakeholders deploying waste conversion projects in California. Show more Show less

Mike Gatto

Mike Gatto
Mike Gatto, a lifelong resident of the district he represents, has always felt a calling to improve how government works for California's hard-working residents. Mike graduated from UCLA with a degree in history, and then put himself through Loyola Law School at night, graduating magna cum laude, while working full-time as a congressional Chief of Staff. Show more Show less

Mark McDannel

Mark McDannel
Mark McDannel is Manager of the Solid Waste Department’s Energy Recovery Section at the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. Show more Show less

Kenny Miyagi

Kenny Miyagi
Mr. Kenny Miyagi has been responsible for the business development activities on WTE project in North and Central American Regions for JFE Engineering Co. since JFE established its US Corporation in 2012. Show more Show less

Paul Relis

Paul Relis
Paul Relis is Senior Vice President of CR&R Incorporated. He and his colleague, Mike Silva, have led CR&R’s development of its new anaerobic digester (AD) business platform for the company. Paul’s corporate focus has been on policy, regulations and legislation and grants related to anaerobic digestion both statewide and nationally. Show more Show less

David Schneider

David Schneider
David Schneider is Sr. Business Development Manager for Anaergia, a leader technology and development firm for organics recycling infrastructure. David has been with Anaergia nearly 5 years and has over 15 years’ experience in the renewable and industrial project development in California. Show more Show less

Bob Shaw

Bob Shaw
Mr. Shaw has been a veteran of the Environmental Business for over 43 years. He started his career with Browning Ferris Industries in Houston TX, where he built the largest Regulated Medical Waste (RMW) business in the world. Show more Show less

Rob White

Rob White
As a demonstrated innovator and collaborator, Rob White is the Chief Strategist of Sierra Energy, a waste gasification and renewable energy company. Named a White House “Champion of Change for Local Innovation”, Mr. White has been recognized by regional, national and international organizations for his work on economic development, regional innovation clusters and partnership with federal agencies. Show more Show less

Evan Williams

Evan Williams
Evan is a co-founder and the President of Cambrian Energy Development LLC that has developed more than 50 landfill gas-to-energy and digester gas-to-energy projects since 1980, including the largest RNG project in the US at the McCommas Bluff Landfill in Dallas, Texas. He has participated in more than $1 billion in financings for renewable energy projects. He serves as Chairman of the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, a policy trade organization for participants in the renewable (i.e. pipeline quality) natural gas industry. Show more Show less

Greg Wolffe

Greg Wolffe
Greg Wolffe, a Principal Scientist at Yorke, has over 25 years of experience in air quality consulting and research. He has worked with California agencies, including the California Energy Commission (CEC) and Public Utilities Commission, on power generation licensing and utility service projects. Show more Show less