Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

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Schaar's Bluff Gathering Center

8395 127th St E, Hastings, MN 55033

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Notes: 

**If you have them, bring your own:

• Water bottle and mug

• Name tag

• To-go containers (for lunch leftovers)

**Show off your latest ed materials! There will be a table set up for organizations to display/share their new/current recycling education pieces: guides; handouts; flyers; etc.

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8:30 - 8:45 AM

Check-in and continental breakfast

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8:45 AM - 9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions 

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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Keynote: The Waste-Free World — Innovation, Policy, and Contracts for the Next Era of Materials Management

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Presenter: ​

• Ron Gonen, Founder & CEO of Closed Loop Partners and Author of The Waste-Free World

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Ron Gonen will join us virtually and discuss practical steps cities, counties, and states can take to strengthen recycling and waste programs. Drawing on his experience with RecycleBank, New York Department of Sanitation, and national investments in recycling and circular economy businesses, he will cover:

• Modernizing contracts that better reflect today’s system needs.

• New technologies that are helping improve material quality and recovery.

• Innovative public policy approaches that support waste reduction and recycling.

This keynote will connect national trends to Minnesota’s local context and offer useful ideas for managers working to improve recycling and organics programs.

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10:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Break 

The Gathering Center is within Spring Lake Park Reserve. Stretch your legs during the break along trails right outside the door. ​

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10:20 AM - 11:20 AM

Session 2: Straight from the MRFs: Recycling Realities and Market Trends

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Presenters:

• Bill Keegan, Dem-Con

• Katie Drews, Eureka Recycling

• Josh Allen, Waste Management

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Minnesota’s materials recovery facilities (MRFs) are on the frontlines of recycling. In this session, panelists will share updates from their facilities, covering operational realities, current challenges, and evolving market trends. After individual presentations, the discussion will open into a panel format, offering insights into how MRFs are adapting and what it means for the future of recycling in our region.

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11:20 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch: Ansari's Mediterranean Grill

**Bring your own food storage containers if you're interested in taking some leftovers to go :)

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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Session 3:  Building Our Roadmap — A Collaborative Conversation

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Facilitator: 

• Claire Pardubsky, City of Bloomington

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This interactive, hands-on session will bring participants together in both small and large groups to brainstorm, share, and connect. Guided facilitation will help surface the key priorities Minnesota’s recycling managers are focused on over the next 2–3 years. Together, we’ll identify common themes, spot opportunities for collaboration, and begin shaping a collective roadmap for the future.

The goal is twofold: to capture where we’re headed as a field and to leave ARM members feeling energized, connected, and united around shared goals.

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2:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Break 

The Gathering Center is within Spring Lake Park Reserve. Stretch your legs during the break along trails right outside the door. 

A guided stretch will take place outside the front of the building that you are invited to join as a way to recharge!

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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Session 4: Textile Collection Pilot in Columbus, Ohio

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Presenters:

• Lisa Goldsand, Circular Thrift

• Jessica Dalzell, Dakota County

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Textiles are one of the fastest-growing waste streams, but innovative models are emerging to keep materials in circulation. This session will highlight Circular Thrift's partnership with the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) to launch the region’s first textile collection pilot, aimed at diverting clothing and household textiles from the landfill. Over the course of the project, they tested collection methods, measured community engagement, and gathered data to inform scalable solutions. The pilot demonstrated both the environmental impact and community interest in building circular systems for textiles—lessening waste while creating pathways for reuse and recycling.​

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3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Break 

The Gathering Center is within Spring Lake Park Reserve. Stretch your legs during the break along trails right outside the door. 

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3:30 - 4:30 PM

Session 5: From TSA to 4H — Waste and Reuse in Large Venues

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Presenter: 

• Carla Inderrieden, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

• Lewis Segl, Metropolitan Airports Commission

• Madeleine Partch, Waste Wise

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​Some of Minnesota’s busiest venues are leading the way in reducing waste and promoting reuse. This session will highlight tools, studies, and pilot projects from the MN State Fair, MSP Airport, and the Saints Stadium, each tackling the unique challenges of managing materials in large, high-traffic sites. Learn what’s working, what’s next, and how these best practices can inspire solutions in your own community.​

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Networking

TBD