Pre-Conference Certification & Organics Classes / Tours

Certification | Multi-stop Reuse Tour/Class – (0.60 CEUs / 6 Hours Re-Certification Credits)

Stops: Construction Junction / Pittsburgh Center for Reuse / Michael Brothers

Member Price - $275 / Non-Member Price $415

Certification | Accessibility Considerations of Engaging Hard to Reach Communities
(0.60 CEUs / 6 Hours Re-Certification Credits)

This session will discuss best practices for communicating and educating on recycling within the context of language access and environmental justice in 2025.

• OEJ Introduction
• OEJ engagement of Addressing Littering and Recycling Benefits, Promoting Composting.
• Examples of engagement: Philadelphia and Amish/CCD Liaisons
• Tools and Considerations that DEP uses
• Written and Interpretation Needs
• COSTARS Program
• Stakeholder Engagement

Member Price - $275 / Non-Member Price $415

Organics | Tour & Onsite Theory

This course is required for the Certified Compost Professional (CCP) status. The course includes travel to a composting facility, demonstration on basic processes, windrow building, turning and screening, temperature monitoring. Attendees will tour the Hermitage Wastewater Plant then travel to the Beaver County Compost Facility for a hands on session and classroom instruction.

Instructors TBA

Member Price - $275 / Non-Member Price $415

Registration Open

Organics | Siting the Compost Facility / Design & Layout (Required for CCP) (1.5 hrs)
How to start establishing a program, what permitting is required, siting parameters, engineering components, minimizing environmental impact. How to blend engineering, economics, and politics to find the optimal site for your compost facility. Be a good neighbor, setbacks, and flood plains.  Regulations / DEP Permits / Funding. DEP Technical Assistance/ record keeping.

Instructors TBA

Certification | Recycling Multi-Family Units / Apartments  – (0.10 CEUs / 1.0 Hours Re-Certification Credits)

Description coming soon
Instructors TBA

Land Reclamation Repurposing Session

• Brent Bobsein, CSX Resources - Waste Methane Capture from PA Legacy Mines.
• Debra Pontzer, Grow Rural PA - Capacity Building for Repurposing Energy Assets: Producing Green Hydrogen on Previously Impacted Mine Lands.
• John Patterson from Tetra Tech - Banning/West Newton Coal Refuse Pile Reclamation Project.

Certification | Anti-Litter & Recycling Enforcement - (0.15 CEUs / 1.5 Hours Re-certification Credits)

Description Coming Soon
Instructors TBA

An examination of the costs associated with the composting processing beginning with the arrival of the feedstocks through the departure of the finished products.  Product sales, end users/ certified product and SAP # with ability to sell material to the Commonwealth of PA for PennDOT reclamation projects.

Instructors TBA

Break with the Exhibitors

Recycling Coordinators Corner 

Bring your questions and ask our panel of experts in this town hall style open discussion for ideas. We will have a lineup of recycling coordinators from across the Commonwealth who are ready to listen to your challenges and share their expertise!

Panelists: Lisa Covatta – Township of West Goshen / Mike Skapura – Westmoreland Cleanways & Recycling

PROP Annual Picnic

Join us at Knob Hill Community Park for our Annual PROP Conference Picnic, a nice way to wind down after a day of learning and sharing! Transportation provided.

Registration Open

Plenary | Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recycling

Description: AI is reshaping the recycling industry, enabling smarter, more efficient processes that deliver both environmental and economic benefits. In this session, the CEO of Glacier will showcase several real-world case studies where its recycling AI is optimizing MRF performance, automating the recovery of valuable commodities, and even transforming how the biggest brands approach packaging design. Learn how AI-powered solutions are helping stakeholders across the recycling value chain—from MRFs to manufacturers—make better decisions, enhance recovery rates, and drive sustainability at scale.

Presenters: Rebecca Hu Thrams, Founder, CEO | Ting Zhang, Head of Business Development | Glacier

Glass Recycling 

Description coming soon.
Presenters TBA

Certification | HHW Collections – Multi-County Event Based Programs, Working with Different Vendors (0.10 CEUs / 1 Hour Re-Certification Credits)

This session gives an overview of how to run event-based HHW collections, including programs in the SEPA counties of Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, and Bucks, the SWPA Counties of Washington, Fayette, Allegheny, Beaver, and Cambria, and Westmoreland CleanWays monthly events at the Westmoreland County recycling center.

Organics | Odor Generation & Control, Surface Water Control (0.15 CEU / 1.5 hours) (Required for CCP)

This session will help attendees understand odor generation and control, as well as surface water control and give attendees a chance to ask questions about any aspect of Composting/Organics Management to the panel of professionals and DEP representatives.

Panelists TBA

Contract Development 

Description coming soon.
Panelist/Presenters:  Steve Deasy – MSW Consultants / Craig Frey – Upper Dublin

Battery Session #1

The RMC will examines the safety risks of recycling lithium-ion batteries, including fire hazards and chemical exposure, while emphasizing the need for improved recycling strategies to effectively mitigate these dangers. The presentation also presents consumer recycling survey data, offering insights into public perceptions and behaviors related to lithium-ion battery recycling.

The PA DEP is now accepting applications for the Act 101, Section 901 Household Battery Management Education Grant.  This new grant opportunity is available to all Pennsylvania counties for educational materials and programs to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with improper disposal of lithium-ion and other batteries.  Counties can receive up to $75,000 every two calendar years dedicated to educating the public on disposal methods that minimize the risk of fires in the collection, transportation, and processing of waste that can damage property and pose a danger to people and the environment. Counties are eligible for 80 percent reimbursement. Battery management educational costs incurred starting on January 1, 2025 will be considered eligible for grant funding. Under Act 101, Section 901, counties are also still eligible to receive up to $75,000 every two calendar years for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Education, as well as up to $75,000 annually for planning and related studies.  The Department encourages counties to take advantage of these multiple funding opportunities to enhance or expand recycling and household hazardous waste collection in their counties. Janet Heindel, Planning Coordinator from DEP Central Office will discuss the new grant program.)

Presenters: Scott Marks, PA Recycling Markets Center / Janet Heindel, PA Department of Environmental Protection

Plenary | Legislative Updates

Legislative Updates from the PROP Legislative Committee Chair.
Presenter: Veronica Harris, Montgomery County Planning Commission

Zero Waste Events: Waste Management for Events/Venues

This session covers an overview of PSU’s management of materials inside Beaver stadium and at THON, PRC’s Zero Waste Program’s management of events across Allegheny County including the Pittsburgh Marathon, Three Rivers Arts Festival and more including rental program and waste audits

Presenters: Ayodeji Oluwalana, TRUE Advisor, PSU Waste Reduction and Recycling Program Manager Chesapeake First, PRC Zero Waste Event Coordinator

Circular Economy – Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Recycling & Circularity

This session, co-facilitated by Bay Epperly from Coalfield Development (WV) and Steven Deasy, Senior Associate of MSW Consultants, draws on real experience from developing and deploying circular strategies, programs, and organization networks as part of the Appalachian ReUse Corridor.  The Appalachian ReUse Corridor is a unique convergence of grass roots efforts, sophisticated ideas, and strong partnerships.  It is a multi-state initiative to simultaneously improve recycling while developing circular solutions by working collaboratively with stakeholders and manufacturers to gradually replace virgin feedstocks with recovered materials.  Leverage strategic materials management as a solution to a declining mining industry that contributes to a variety of socio-economic challenges to spur innovation and investment in resource conservation while creating job opportunities.

Presenters: Baleigh Epperly, Associate Director of Appalachian Reuse Hub / Steve Deasy, Consultant, MSW Consultants

Battery Session #2

STEINERT presents an integrated sorting system utilizing X-ray transmission, color recognition, 3D detection, and induction sensor technologies for efficient battery detection and removal from material streams. The multi-sensor approach demonstrates effectiveness in mitigating lithium battery fire hazards within material recovery facilities while enabling compliance with extended producer responsibility (EPR) standards for end-of-life material management. STEINERT’s system's implementation addresses critical safety concerns in material sorting operations while advancing sustainable waste management practices.

Call2Recycle will provide an overview of their battery collection and recycling programs to meet both Federal and State specific battery Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws. The presentation will cover current legislation, the Call2Reyclce collection process and how the program is growing to cover larger battery sizes.

Presenters: Edel Rodriguez, Vice President, Sales – Steinert US / Carin Stuart - Call2Recycle

Certification | Youth Education – Updates to the State Environmental Standards (0.10 CEUs / 1 Hour Re-Certification Credits)

Updates to the State Academic / Environmental Standards – STEELS (Science Technology Engineering Environmental Literacy and Sustainability)

Description coming soon.
Presenters TBA

Registration Open

Plenary | Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center Update Session - Happenings and Case Studies

Bob Bylone, MEng, President, CEO, Recycling Markets Center Corporation 501c(3)

Plenary | PA Department of Environmental Protection News & Updates