Registration Hours

Welcome Reception

Sponsored by our Gold Sponsors

Registration Opens

Breakfast

Welcome & In Conversation with John Casella

Session 1

Track A: Evaluation of Liners (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Effect of Polymer on Water Retention Behavior of Bentonite-Polymer Geosynthetic Clay Liner
  Kuo Tian, George Mason University

• Geocomposite/Geomembrane Interface Shear Testing: Implications for a California Landfill
  Lindsey Angell, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.

• Stability Takes Work: Energy Required to Shear Geocomposite-Geomembrane Interfaces
  Jeffrey Kuhn, TRI Environmental

• Are Subtitle D Liners Effective in Containing PFAS?
  Craig H. Benson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Track B: Leachate Management & Treatment I (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• Case Study: Iterative Solutions for H2S in Leachate
  Samuel Nicolai, Casella Waste Systems

• Photodegradation of Landfill Leachate Induced Refractory Dissolved Organic Nitrogen and Its Impact on Algal Growth in Estuaries
  Renzun Zhao, North Carolina A&T State University

• Enhancing Landfill Operations Through Leachate Data Management Solutions
  Xin Peng, Geosyntec Consultants

• Integrated Foam Fractionation and Supercritical Water Oxidation for PFAS Remediation in High-Volume Waste Streams: Field Application Results
  Rick Gillespie, Revive Environmental

Track C: Temporal & Geospatial Variability in Methane Emissions (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• A Survey of Methane Emissions from North American Municipal Solid Waste Landfills using High-resolution Greenhouse Gas Emissions Monitoring from Space Provided by GHGSat
  Halley Brantley, WM

• Investigating Fugitive Methane Emissions from Different Landfill Covers and Evaluating Diurnal Variability
  Tawsif Sultan Raaz, University of Delaware

• Active Work Face Emissions: An Important Opportunity for Reducing Methane Emissions in Waste Management
  Meaghan Amaral, FluxLab

• Temporal Variability of Subsurface Landfill Gas Composition: Implications for CALMIM Model Accuracy and Emission Calculations
  Ramin Yazdani, University of California at Davis-Air Quality Research Center

Lunch & Poster Viewing

Session 2

Track A: Managing Elevated Temperatures in Landfills (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Heat Generation, Storage, and Retention Mechanisms in Elevated Temperature Landfills: Insights from Site-Scale Modeling and Field Data
  Terry Johnson, WM, Inc.

• Numerical Modeling of Heat Extraction from Elevated Temperature Landfills Using Insights from the Geothermal Energy Industry
  Richard Holt, RESPEC Company, LLC

• Evaluation of ETLF Progression Through Surface Settlement Analysis
  Troy Kechely, Blue Ridge Services

Track B: Leachate Management & Treatment II (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• UF Membrane Operation Best Practices & RO Membranes Capacity Effects on Leachate Treatment Plant Operation
  Ronald Overholt, US Water Industrial Group

• Landfill Leachate Pre-Treatment: A Case Study
  Steve Batiste, Brown and Caldwell

• Mobile Leachate Evaporation – 24/7/365 via a Redesigned, Fan-Driven, Attached Evaporative Process
  Brad Granley, Leachate Management Specialists

Track C: Methane Emissions: Detection, Drivers, and Control (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Analysis of Continuous Monitoring Data with Inverse Atmospheric Models to Improve Landfill Gas Emissions Data and Elucidate Drivers of Emissions
  James Tinjum, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Investigating the Relationship Between Landfill Gas Collection and Airborne Methane Emissions
  Melinda Sims, LoCI Controls, Inc.

• From Above and From Within: Linking Visibility and Control in Landfill Methane Emissions and Gas Collection Performance
  Tarek Abichou, FAMU-FSU

Coffee Break & Poster Viewing

Session 3

Track A: Settlement & Stability (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Final Cover Slide – A Case Study
  Samuel Nicolai, Casella Waste Systems

• Settlement Accommodation Plan Permitting and Implementation at the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill
  Matt Reardon, SWACO - Jonathan Niemec, Civil & Environmental Consultants

• Final Cover Drainage: Design for Maximum Airspace and Anticipated Differential Settlement
  Katie Kinley, HDR

• Three-Dimensional Slope Stability Analysis in Support of a Minor Mod Permit Application
  Livingstone Dumenu, Geosyntec Consultants

Track B: Connecting PFAS Policy & Operations (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• Connecting PFAS Policy & Operations Panel
  Moderator: Anne Germain, National Waste & Recycling Association - Joe Benco, Republic Services - Stephanie Bolyard, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality - Sean McGinnis, COEFFICIENT

Track C: Implications of Microplastics in Waste (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Microplastics in Solid Waste Streams: Research Needs and Gaps in Research Methodology
  Victoria Hoffmann, UNC- Charlotte

• Microplastics in Waste Management
  Zhiyong Xia, GHD

• Examining the Fate and Persistence of Microplastics During Dry Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Waste Streams
  Shera Campini, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Special Session: International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) and the Global Waste Landscape (Room: Desert Vista 2) 

Moderator: Morton Barlaz, NC State University 

James Law, SCS Engineers & ISWA President 

Reception

Sponsored by The Water & Carbon Group

Breakfast

Session 4

Track A: Landfill Covers (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Quantifying Electrical Leak Location Testing Effectiveness
  Abigail Gilson, TRI Environmental, Inc.

• Assessing Field Performance of an Exposed Geomembrane Cover
  Donald Hullings, Tetra Tech

• New Polymer Modified GCLs for Capping Applications
  Michael Donovan, CETCO

• Feedback on Long-term Integrity of Multi-linear Drainage Geocomposites Installed on Landfill Final Covers after 10 and 12 years of Operation
  Jared Hett, Afitex-Texel

Track B: PFAS Behavior During Water and Wastewater Treatment (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• Evaluating and Implementing a Leachate PFAS Treatment Solution
  Arie Kremen, Tetra Tech

• Fate of PFAS Compounds in a Leachate Evaporator with a Venturi Scrubber
  Russell Keckler, Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC

• Electrochemical Destruction of PFAS in Landfill Leachate-Derived Streams Using Axine’s electraCLEAR™ Technology
  Victor Leung, Axine Water Technologies

• Investigating PFAS Fate in Anaerobic Processes Via Targeted and Non-Targeted Characterization
  Christelle Bou Nehme Sawaya, University of Southern California

Track C: SWM Planning & Modeling (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Solid Waste Master Planning: Unique Challenges and Creative Solutions for Remote Areas
  Sean O'Donnell, Geosyntec Consultants

• Life Cycle Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Management Options in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal
  Mohan B. Dangi, California State University

• Promoting Education and Engagement in Solid Waste Services: Leveraging Data to Highlight Landfill Contributions to Local Community Sustainability
  Kate Howe, Weaver Consultants Group

• The Friction of Sustainability: From Proximity to Spatial Potential in Neighborhood Waste Planning
  Ga-In Sim, EPFL

Coffee Break & Poster Viewing

Sponsored by Vecoplan

Session 5

Track A: Emissions Measurement & Monitoring (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Fixed Point Methane Monitoring for Landfill Emissions Detection
  Md Elius, University of California Berkeley
  

• Estimation of Whole-Landfill Emissions Using Surface Emissions Monitoring (SEM) Data Coupled with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modeling
  Raf Crowley, University of Central Florida

• Addressing Emission Variability in Landfills: A Multi-Site, Multi-Tier Methane Monitoring Approach Using Satellites and Aircraft
  Krishna Kataria, GHGSAT - Ami Bryant, WM

• Advances and Uncertainties: Understanding the Performance of Landfill Methane Measurement Solutions in Controlled Release Experiments
  Tarek Abichou, FAMU-FSU - Regina Gonzalez Moguel, FluxLab
  

Track B: PFAS Storage & Cycling (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• Investigating PFAS Content and Leaching Potential of Automotive Shredder Residue
  Erin Bulson, WM Inc.

• The Unique Distribution Pattern of PFAS in Landfill Organics
  Syeed Md Iskander, North Dakota State University

• Digging Deeper into PFAS in MSW: Large-Scale Extraction and Landfill Sequestration Assessment
  Milind Khire, UNC Charlotte

• PFAS Transport and Mass Balance Between A Wastewater Treatment Plant and A Landfill: Lessons Learned for PFAS Treatment and Management
  Lingke Zeng, Sanborn Head & Associates, Inc

Track C: Effectiveness of Recycling Programs (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Which Program Has the Cleanest Recyclables? Examining Contamination Levels in Single-Stream and Dual-Stream Recycling in New York State
  Firman Firmansyah, Waste Data & Analysis Center, Stony Brook University

• A Data-Driven Approach for Predicting and Reducing Recycling Contamination in Single-Family Households
  Jiannan "Nick" Chen, University of Central Florida

• Flexible Film Recovery in California: 2026
  JD Lindeberg, Resource Recycling Systems
  

Lunch & Poster Viewing

Session 6

Track A: Special Applications in PFAS Management (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Phyto-Enhanced In-Situ Retention of PFAS to Treat Groundwater
  Leonard Mankowski, WSP
  

• Novel Wastewater Treatment Process for PFAS Removal
  Paul Rodriguez, Emerging Compounds Treatment Technologies, Inc (ECT2)

• Benefits of Surface Modified Clays in PFAS Management for Landfills
  Michael Donovan, CETCO
  

• Collaborative Approach to Managing PFAS in Biosolids
  Andrew Safulko, Brown and Caldwell

Track B: Operations Guided Landfill Design (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• Innovative LF Expansion Case Study- Waste Excavation for MSE Berm Construction
  Christopher Dohner, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.

• 20-Plus Years of Monitoring of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Perimeter Berms for Landfill Containment
  Frank Adams, WSP USA Inc.
  

• Alternate Compaction Criteria for Cap Recompacted Soil Barriers and Relationship to Hydraulic Conductivity
  Jeremy Heyerly, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
  

• Augmenting MSW Landfill Liquid Removal with Integrated Multi-Level Collectors
  Brian Barninger, BEL Environmental Engineering

Track C: Case Studies in Composting (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Enhancing Circularity and Building Resilience in Compost Facility Design: A Case Study from Tulare, CA
  Meggy Gidula, Brown and Caldwell

• Challenges and Progress in Composting Facility Permitting in California: A GreenWaste Case Study
  Lindsey Angell, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.

• Meeting Stringent Contamination Standards in Compost in a Novel Digestion Facility Treating Source Separated Organics
  Luc De Baere, Dranco Inc.
  

• Survey, Testing and Mitigation of Persistent Herbicides in Municipal Solid Waste Composts
  Frederick Michel, Ohio State University
  

Coffee Break & Poster Viewing

Session 7

Track A: Final Covers & Closure (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Broome County NY Landfill Reclamation
  Bradford Smith, GHD
  

• Optimizing Landfill Closure: A Comparative Evaluation of Synthetic Turf Geomembrane Systems and Application at the Colton Sanitary Landfill
  Brian Reyes, SWT Engineering, Inc.
  

• Brownfields Redevelopment of a Capped Former Landfill in Baltimore
  Samantha Howell, Geosyntec Consultants

• Benefits of Prescriptive Vegetation on Closure Surfaces
  Christopher Garaventa, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. - Gretchen Addington, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.

Track B: PFAS in Landfill Gas (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• Characterization and Quantification of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Landfill Gas from U.S. Landfills
  Florentino De la Cruz, University of North Florida
  

• Air Dispersion Modeling to Evaluate Downwind PFAS Concentrations from Landfill Gas Emissions
  Regan Welch, Geosyntec Consultants
  

• Experience with EPA Other Test Method 45 (OTM-45) for PFAS Emissions Testing at Municipal Waste Combustors
  Michael Van Brunt, Reworld
  

• PFAS Behavior in Solid Waste Combustion Treatment at Landfills
  Appala Raju Badireddy, University of Vermont
  

Track C: State CH4 Emission Regulations & the Intersection with Operations Discussion (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Veronica Pardo, Resource Recovery Coalition of California - Timothy Taylor, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Mike Thomson, GFL Environmental

Reception

Sponsored by Civil Design Solutions

Breakfast

Session 8

Track A: Advances in Anaerobic Digestion (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Machine Learning for Predicting and Optimizing the Performance of an Anaerobic Digester with Diverse Feedstocks and Operating Conditions
  Fei Long, Oregon State University

• City of Toronto AD & RNG Facilities
  Dilshad Mondegarian, GHD Services Inc.

• Performance Evaluation of an Anaerobic Composter for Organic Waste Diversion: Operational Lessons and Future Directions
  Kyuhwan "Kevin" Shim, Yolo County Integrated Waste Management Division

Track B: Landfill Gas Management (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Sustainable, Complete Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide from a Major Construction Waste Landfill
  Deane Little, New Sky Energy

• Tier 3 NMOC Testing Using New Technologies
  Matt Stutz, Weaver Consultants Group

• Kinetic Evaluation of the Thermal Decomposition of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Waste Management Systems
  Happiness Mbando, University of North Florida

Track C: Applications of AI in Solid Waste Systems (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• From Stone Age to Space Age: Use of AI in SWM
  Bryan Staley, Environmental Research & Education Foundation

• Internet of Waste: Low-Cost Sensor Network and Portable AI Model for Quantifying Recyclable Cross Contamination in Saint Louis, MO
  Orhun Aydin, Saint Louis University

• How AI is Transforming MRF Operations and Efficiency
  Sylvain Auger, Machinex Technologies

Coffee Break & Poster Viewing

Session 9

Track A: Odor Management (Room: Desert Vista 1)

• Field Study: Performance Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Exposed Working Face Odor Neutralizer (ExWON) Using QuikAir V
  Emmanuel Varona-Torres, Weaver Consultants Group

• Odor Allocation / Attribution Using Ultra-Low Real Time Analytical Capability and Deep Data Analysis to Fingerprint Facilities
  Steven E. Yuchs, PhD, Montrose Environmental Group
  

• Odor Control and Abatement in the Solid Waste Management System
  Sarah Ledogar, Environmental Research & Education Foundation

Track B: Foam Fractionation to Remove PFAS in Leachate (Room: Desert Vista 2)

• PFAS Treatment: From Liability to Leadership
  Nicolas Ganzon, The Water & Carbon Group

• Improved Treatment of PFAS Contaminated Water and Wastewater for Foam Fractionation Utilizing Gas Nanobubbles
  Richard Nie, StreamGo Water Solutions Inc.

• PFAS Removal from Landfill Leachate: Pilot Study of Efficiency, Air Emissions, and Foamate Management
  Lingke Zeng, Sanborn Head & Associates, Inc

Track C: Evaluating SWM Policy & Protocols (Room: Grand Salon E-H)

• Understanding the Efficacy of EPR: Current State of Knowledge
  Suzie Boxman, Environmental Research & Education Foundation

• Does New York's Bottle Bill Still Work? A Material-Specific Comparison of Deposit and Non-Deposit Containers in Waste Stream’s Composition
  Firman Firmansyah, Waste Data & Analysis Center, Stony Brook University
  

• Assessment of Value Chain Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting at U.S. Solid Waste Management Companies
  Erica Higa, University of Pennsylvania/Waga Energy

Golf

Sponsored by Chesapeake Containment Systems Inc. & Pump One Environmental, LLC