WMU Fiber Recycling Course

Kalamazoo, Michigan USA
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 to Thursday, August 17, 2023

TAPPI is pleased to partner with Western Michigan University (WMU) to deliver training that will help you broaden and update your knowledge and understanding of the basics of recycled fiber collection, processing, use and market drivers. This is a 2.5-day course takes place in Kalamazoo Michigan on WMU's Engineering Campus. This training is designed for the newcomer to the paper recycling industry, as well as those with experience.

August 15th - 17th, 2023

2023 WMU Fiber Recycling Course

This is a beneficial course for anyone looking to broaden their knowledge of the entire process of fiber recycling.

This course covers a full view of the circular economy that is fiber recycling - from brand perspectives, sustainability drivers, recyclable certifications and legislation, to collection, MRF sorting, reprocessing, and papermaking.

Numerous networking opportunities and a broad spectrum of both attendees and contacts make this a great course for seasoned papermakers, as well as anyone new to the industry.

Space is limited to keep this course interactive. Networking dinner and brewery tour included.

Mark your calendar—WMU Pilot Plants will hold their 2022 WMU Fiber Recycling Course on Aug. 2-4. Space will be limited to keep this course interactive. A networking dinner and brewery tour is included. Numerous networking opportunities and a broad spectrum of attendees/contacts make this a great course for veterans of the industry looking to broaden their knowledge or those new to the industry who want to see the entire process of fiber recycling. From brand perspectives, sustainability drivers, recyclable certifications, and legislation, to the collection, MRF sorting, reprocessing, and papermaking; this course covers a full view of the circular economy that is fiber recycling. Please join us!

Who should attend?

This course is designed for the newcomer to the paper recycling industry, as well as those with experience who wish to broaden and update their knowledge and understanding of the basics of recycled fiber collection, processing, use, and market drivers. This is a 2.5-day course held in Kalamazoo Michigan, on WMU's beautiful Engineering Campus.

Learning objectives

  • Recyclability Protocols and Product Labeling
  • Recycled Fiber Global Markets Update
  • Sustainability — Brand Owner Perspective
  • Regulations and Market Drivers
  • Collection and MRF Operations
  • Paper Mill Operations
  • Hands-on Fiber Recycling/Papermaking Option
  • Speakers include: Industry Experts, WMU Faculty and Students

About WMU
Western Michigan University is a leader in papermaking, recycling, coating and sustainable packaging research and applications, as well as a leading provider of undergraduate and graduate engineers and scientists. WMU has certified hundreds of products as repulpable and recyclable using industry agreed-upon protocols.

2022 Schedule - 2023 Course Schedule Coming Soon

 

Day 1

 

 

 

 

7:30AM

 

Registration Open

 

 

8:00AM

 

Intro/Safety/Logistics

 

 

8:15AM

 

RPTA Overview, Consumer Insights

 

Paul Schutes - RPTA

 

9:00AM

 

How2Recycle Label & Brand Perspectives 

 

Juliana Nienart, How2Recycle

10:00AM

 

Break

 

 

10:15AM

 

ISRI - Grade Structure and Material Characterization

 

Bret Biggers - ISRI, Senior Economist

 

11:15AM

 

MRF I - History, Design & Challenges

 

Michael Timpane - RRS

 

12:15PM

 

Lunch - Intros

 

Catered in Box Lunches

 

12:45PM

 

What happens under the roof at a MRF- A presentation on the technologies and methods used  Ryan Lawlor - RRT Design & Construction

1:45PM

 

WMU Reulp/Recyclability protocols

 

Shawn Mortimore - WMU Pilot Plants

 

2:30PM

 

Break

 

 

3:00PM

 

Legislation and Regulations Driving Sustainability

 

Bret Biggers - ISRI, Senior Economis

 

4:00PM

 

MRFF - Evolving Stream Opportunities for Fiber Lines

 

Susan Graff - RRS VP Sustainability

 

5:00PM

 

Wrap Up

 

 

6:00PM

 

Social Event and Dinner

 

TBD

 

     

Day 2

 

 

 

 

8:00 AM

 

PTF/Paper Engineering Intro 

 

Brian Pahl

 

8:15AM

 

Recovered Fiber Markets

 

Bill Moore - Moore & Associates

 

9:15AM

 

Paper Mill Operartions I - Pulping

 

Neale Fetterly - Kadant

 

10:30AM

 

Break

 

 

10:45AM

 

Paper Mill Operarttions II - Screening

 

Neale Fetterly - Kadant, Sr. Engineer

 

12:00PM

 

Lunch

 

Cafeteria Voucher

 

12:30PM

 

Tour Pilot Plants, Paper and Print Labs

 

 

1:15PM

 

Sustainability - Mill Perspective

 

Mark Bond - Sustana

 

2:30PM

 

Break

 

 

2:45PM

 

Compostability Overview

 

Lon Pschigoda - WMU 

3:15PM

 

Journey Towards a Fully Recyclable Single-Use Cup

 

Sandeep Kulkarni - KoolEarth Solutions

4:15PM

 

Enzyme Improvement of Recycled Fibers

 

Kecheng Li/Jason Wang - WMU 

 

5:00PM

 

Wrap Up

 

 
     

Day 3

 

 

 

 

8:00AM

 

Paper Packaging: Design for Sustainability

 

Susan Cornish - Moore and Associates

 

8:45AM

 

Paper Mill Operarttions III - Cleaning

 

Neale Fetterly - Kadant

 

9:45 AM

 

Break

 

 

10:00AM

 

Recycled Mill Chemistry I – Functional Chemistry

 

Larry Anker - Solenis

11:00AM

 

Recycled Mill Chemistry II – Process Chemistry

 

Stuart Johns - Solenis

12:00PM

 

Wrap-Up

 

 
     
 

Optional 1/2 Day - Hands on Fiber Recycling and Papermaking - WMU Pilot Plants

 

 

12:30PM

 

Lunch and Plants Safety Review

 

 

1:00PM

 

Pulping, Screening, Cleaning

 

 

2:30PM

 

Handsheet Making

 

 

3:30PM

 

Paper Machine Operation

 

 

4:30PM

 

Wrap Up

 

 

Paul Schutes.jpgPaul Schutes - Executive Director, Recycled Paperboard Alliance / Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA)

LinkedIn Profile

Paul Schutes is the Executive Director of the Recycled Paperboard Alliance (RPA100) and the Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA), the 2 leading industry associations dedicated to expanding the use and improving the manufacture of recycled fiber products. Paul holds degrees from Purdue University in Industrial Engineering and from the University of Bridgeport (CT) in Graphic Design. Paul is a paperboard and packaging expert with 40 years of experience in the industry. During his career in paperboard packaging Paul has held senior positions in packaging design, engineering, sales and production. As Executive Director of the RPA/RPTA Paul oversees all administrative, program activities, and member development of the organizations. In his role he works with North America’s largest brand owners, and retailers, as well as government and non-government organizations on a wide range of sustainability initiatives.

 

Bill Moore - Owner, Moore & AssociatesBill Moore.jpg

LinkedIn Profile

Bill Moore is president of Moore & Associates, an international consulting firm that provides a range of strategic services and research to global recycling organizations. The description of the full range of services and background for Moore & Associates can be found on the company’s web site at www.MARecycle.com

Bill has had a forty year career as an environmental business professional. Prior to establishing his own consulting firm, Bill held a series of positions in the chemical, solid waste, paper, and recycling industries.  This included Director of Recycling for Waste Management, Inc., where he was responsible for the startup of the “Recycle America” program, the largest introduction of recycling services in the United States. Earlier in his career, Bill was a hazardous and groundwater waste expert and was at the forefront of the US manufacturing industry’s move for waste reduction through process optimization. Bill’s unique knowledge base includes all aspects of the global supply and demand of recovered paper, where he is currently considered the leading expert.

Over the last 25 years, Moore & Associates has served over 330 clients on more than 550 projects on paper recycling engagements. Details on Bill’s consulting project experience can be found at www.MARecycle.com/past-projects/

Bill is a sought after speaker throughout the world on subjects related to global recycling and the business side of environmental issues. He is highly published in the recycling field having authored more than fifty articles over the last thirty years. A list of Bill’s publications can be found at www. MARecycle.com/articles/


bret briggers.jpgBret Biggers - 
Senior Economist, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) 

Bret Biggers is a senior economist at ISRI. He collects, analyzes, and disseminates information on recyclable commodity trends. He is the staff liaison for the Paper Division, Plastics Division, and the MRF Committee. Other efforts Biggers working on is the ISRI Specifications Circular, the Recyclability Protocol, Trade Committee and Market Access Working Group.

Biggers has addressed economic, markets, and sustainability issues throughout most of his career, writing articles and producing reports. He has worked at the National Waste & Recycling Association, Flexible Packaging Association, and consulted in the trucking, chemical, and specialty printing industries.

Larry Anker - Solenis, Applications Mgrlarry anker.png

LinkedIn Profile

Larry Anker is the Director of Commercial Operations at Solenis.  He is responsible for coordinating the P&P technical training initiatives and managing the intern and STAR (new hire rotation) program. Anker holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry, mathematics and physics from Washington and Lee University and a doctorate in chemistry from Penn State University. Anker received a Fulbright Fellowship in 1986 and was named a TAPPI Fellow in 2013.  He is a past chair of the Additives Committee and the Paper and Board Division of TAPPI and is currently serving a 3-year term on TAPPI’s board of directors.

Ryan Lawlor - Project Engineer, RRT Design & Constructionryan l.jpg

Mr. Lawlor is a mechanical engineer at RRT with a focus on material recycling facility and equipment system projects. His responsibilities include all areas of design, engineering and project management as well as preparation and issuance of mechanical equipment technical specifications and bid packages, as well as their evaluation and contract award recommendations to Clients, and follow up review of vendor drawing submittals to verify compliance with specifications. Ryan is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, otherwise known as Virginia Tech.

Neale Fetterly - Sr. Applications Engineer, Kadant Black Clawson.neale.png

LinkedIn Profile

Received BSc Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick (1985).

Neale has worked in 4 mills for over 20 years in a variety of positions;

  • Process Engineer
  • Process Development Supervisor
  • Technical Manager
  • Production Manager
  • Mill Manager

Two of those mills were brownfield recycle startups, all of the mills had a heavy recycle component

Neale has been with Kadant Black Clawson for over 15 years.

 

Stuart Johns - Applications Project Manager MB/CC, Solenis stuart johns.jpg

Worked for Mead Paper as Technical Support Manager in Research, Technical Assistant over 2 papermachines

Over 20 years with Solenis and Buckman as Applications Specialist and Manager for Enzymes, Polymers, Chelants, Biocides and Contaminant Control.

Michael Timpane - Principal and Vice President of Process Optimization and Material Recovery, Resource Recycling Systems (RRS)michael t.jpg

LinkedIn Profile

Michael is a principal and vice president of process optimization and material recovery at RRS, where he works with material manufacturers, municipalities, solid waste and recycling companies, materials recovery facilities, NGOs, NPOs, and Fortune-500 consumer product groups. With over 40 years in field operations and development roles with the largest public recycling companies in the U.S., Michael has gained a reputation for thought leadership, and technical execution in recycling systems pricing, recycling processing, landfill diversion planning and technology, facility development, material streams, recycling/organics system economics, recoverable commodities behavior, and process improvement. Prior to RRS, Michael directed WM’s E-cycling Unit, Single Stream pricing, material stream analysis, and municipal recycling effort. Michael also was Southeast Area VP for BFI over waste processing and diversion for eleven years, and started his career with Reynolds Aluminum Recycling Company for fifteen years. Michael is a frequent national speaker and published author on recycling system efficiency, contracting, cost management, and technology. He is a founding member of both the NWRA Recycling Committee and the ISRI MRF Committee.

Susan Graff - Principal and Vice President of Global Corporate Sustainability, Recovery, Resource Recycling Systems (RRS)susan graff.jpg

LinkedIn Profile

Susan Graff is principal and vice president of global corporate sustainability at RRS. For over 30 years, Susan has consulted on sustainability and materials management solutions with private and public sector clients focused on improving resource recovery and reducing impacts on climate. She is leading several circularity projects for flexible film plastics to aid brand owners and package manufacturers with R&D, feasibility analyses, and supply chain development to recycle these lightweight packaging formats. Susan also developed and leads RRS Sustainability ScorecardR client engagements, an analysis conducted to assess ESG issues material to company production processes and stakeholders to design more sustainable, circular business models. Prior to RRS, Susan founded ERS Global, a sustainability consultancy that served the Fortune 500 with enterprise-wide sustainability strategies, reporting and training programs. She began her career at the US EPA, serving in several roles at the Southeast regional and headquarters offices. Susan was responsible for Superfund and RCRA regional operations, industry and state partnership programs, and was a major contributor to national environmental risk assessment policy, methodologies, and the IRIS electronic data base for chemical toxicity.

 

julianna.jpgJulianna Nienart - Project Associate at GreenBlue

LinkedIn Profile

In October of 2020, Julianna graduated with a Master of Global Public Health degree with a focus on environmental sustainability from Rutgers University. She is fascinated by the intersection of climate change and human health; this drives her passion in working to help communities achieve a circular economy. During her time at Rutgers, she held a 2-year internship with Johnson & Johnson on their global sustainability team; her projects honed in on product stewardship and packaging recyclability. Following graduation and the conclusion of her internship, she joined the How2Recycle team in 2021. Julianna was eager to promote packaging recyclability, reusability and compostability through organizational partnerships. Now, she works in membership services, which includes new member onboarding, customer success and account management responsibilities. In Julianna’s free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and exploring the outdoors.

sandeep.jpgSandeep Kulkarni - Founder and PresidentFounder and President, KoolEarth Solutions, Inc.

LinkedIn Profile

 

 

 

mark bonf.jpgMark Bond - Business Development | National Accounts | Sustainability, Sustana Fiber 

LinkedIn Profile

 

 

 

kecheng li.jpg

Kecheng Li - Professor & Chair, Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering, Western Michigan University

LinkedIn Profile

 

2022 Registration Rates - 2023 Coming Soon

  • $1,975 for TAPPI Member

  • $2095 for TAPPI Young Professional Membership Join and Renew

  • $2,150 for TAPPI Professional Membership Join and Renew 

  • $2,225 for TAPPI nonmember to attend

  • $440 for Optional 1/2 Day 

 

Cancellation Policy
If you find that you have to cancel, your full registration fee will be refunded if TAPPI’s Registration Department (memberconnection@tappi.org or swarchalowsky@tappi.org) receives written notification (fax acceptable) at +1-770-209-7206 Tuesday, July 12th.  Please note that a 50 percent refund may be issued for all written cancellations made after Tuesday, July 12th, but no later than five (5) business days prior to the start of the course, Tuesday, July 26th. Understandably, after Tuesday, July 26th, no refunds can be issued. Substitutions, however, will be accepted any time without a penalty.

Refund
100% - Cancellation received by Tuesday, July 12th
50% - Cancellations received after Tuesday, July 12th and no later than Tuesday, July 26th
NO REFUND- Cancellations received Tuesday, July 26th

This training event is a partnership training event presented by TAPPI and Western Michigan University.

Training Venue:

Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Hotels Near the Campus:

  1. Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center
    1. Hotel for Coating Course
    2. No room rate
    3. Shuttles will run from this hotel

  2. Hilton Garden Inn Kalamazoo Downtown
    1. Block or Two from Course
    2. Walk to Shuttle 

  3. Home2 Suites by Hilton Kalamazoo Downtown
    1. Block or Two from Course
    2. Walk to Shuttle