MEDIA RELEASE

Date: 28 October 2013

Attention: Assignment editors; reporters following municipal government, universities, innovation, energy, waste management

Subject: International energy symposium comes to Toronto

Toronto – An international gathering of scientists, researchers, and industry experts will be meeting in Toronto on Thursday October 31, 2013 to discuss the opportunities and challenges created by state-of-the-art energy recovery (or energy-from-waste) technology.

With municipalities and industries across the country searching for ways to manage waste, generate affordable energy, and create new revenue streams, energy recovery from waste (or energy-from-waste) presents a highly promising pathway.

“This symposium adds an important element to the discussion of sustainable energy,” says WISE’s Tracey Forrest. “Advancements in energy recovery through rigorous evidence-based science are critical if we are to realize the full potential of waste as a resource in a sustainable energy future.”

The Energy Recovery Symposium is being hosted in partnership with the University of Waterloo, Columbia University of New York, the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE), the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA), the Canadian Energy-From-Waste Coalition (CEFWC), and the Ontario Environmental Industries Association (ONEIA).

“What makes this event unique is the scientific perspective,” says Rick Brandes, formerly of the US Environmental Protection Agency, and speaking at the Symposium on the role of energy recovery in the current and future structure of energy sources and waste management. “With a focus on the academic and scientific perspective – on policy, not commerce - this is the ideal forum for gaining clear insight into the potential for energy recovery and energy-from-waste.”

Expert speakers from around the world will present their findings related to human health and risk assessments, energy production and efficiency, public opinion polling, and policy development in the US and Europe.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for cross border collaboration,” says Professor Nickolas Themelis of Columbia University’s Earth Engineering Centre. “We’re thrilled to see Canadian universities embrace the potential for energy recovery from materials that are currently landfilled.”

With the city of Toronto currently reviewing its long-term waste management plans, this is the ideal opportunity to learn what the latest technologies can do. Durham Region is currently building a new energy-from-waste plant that will come on-line in late 2014. Both Peel Region and Metro Vancouver are actively investigating the potential of the technology to service their long-term needs.

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Media Contact: John Foden, PresterJohn Public Affairs; 416-763-0815;

Symposium on the Future of

Energy Recovery from Wastes

October 31, 2013

Eaton Chelsea Hotel

33 Gerard Street West, Toronto

Brought to you in partnership by:

University of Waterloo

Columbia University

Canadian Energy-From-Waste Coalition

Canadian Plastics Industry Association

Ontario Environmental Industries Association

Here’s something you don’t see every day - a unique opportunity to learn about energy recovery (ER) from an entirely different perspective.

Featuring impartial industry experts and academic researchers in a highly interactive forum, this unique, one-day symposium will present current findings on energy recovery within a broad waste management context with a focus on the issues of most concern to decision-makers and stakeholders. Participants will gain insights into knowledge gaps, policy options, and pathways to connect ideas with investment.

·  Marco Castaldi of the City College of New York has been studying ER issues for 20 years and will bring his research and insight to bear with a look at the evolution of ER technologies and the state of available equipment. He may also offer a few prognostications about what the future holds.

·  Sarah Foster, an internationally recognized environmental health sciences consultant, will highlight the surprising results of an extensive study of environmental and human health and risk assessments. This is the first time such a comprehensive literature review has been presented in eastern Canada.

·  Jason Chee-Aloy is one of Canada leading energy analysts with a unique perspective on the energy half of the energy-from-waste debate. This will be an essential discussion for those interested in a power procurement, a standard offer programs, or the design of a feed-in tariff.

·  Greg Lyle, one of Canada’s pre-eminent pollsters and communicators, will dissect public attitudes on energy and waste issues, ascertain critical points of convergence, and explain how it’s possible to build political support for controversial policies with growing public acceptance.

·  Rick Brandes spent many years at the sharp point of the approvals process with the US EPA, and he’ll share his insights into what it takes to convert good science into responsible and responsive policy.

·  Bettina Kamuk of Ramboll Engineering in Denmark, has advised clients on scores of ER projects. She’ll outline the planning guidelines that have satisfied the needs of municipalities and regulators.

Who should attend?

Government officials will better understand how progressive ER policies can drive sustainability goals, enhance waste diversion strategies, help manage waste streams in 4R and stewardship programs, and contribute to a more robust energy supply.

Municipal representatives will learn about the technologies available to recover resources and energy from post-recycled wastes, how and why planning and investment decisions have been made in other jurisdictions, and what questions to ask going forward.

Academic researchers will ascertain where current research is focused, what issues still require attention, and which stakeholders may be looking to collaborate in research projects to advance the state-of-the-art on those issues.

Private sector business managers will gain insight into future investment decisions and better understand how government, academics, and private business can work collaboratively to create a sustainable and robust future for ER.

Following this symposium, participants will understand the potential role of ER as both a power source and a waste solution, as well as the challenges of implementing such technologies.

A key goal of the symposium is to develop working groups that can continue to discuss and develop collaborations on research issues (technical, economic, and policy) to advance the knowledge-base in this field for a Canadian context.

Symposium on the Future of

Energy Recovery from Wastes

October 31, 2013

Eaton Chelsea Hotel

33 Gerard Street West, Toronto

Meeting Agenda

8:45 / Welcome and Opening Remarks / Tracey Forrest
Director
Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy
(wise.uwaterloo.ca)
8:55 / Introductions and Ground Rules / John Foden
President & CEO
PresterJohn Public Affairs
(www.presterjohn.ca)
9:00 / An Academic Review of Energy Recovery Applications
A leading ER academic researcher will discuss the state of available technologies, the emergence of new and/or hybrid processes, and the costs and benefits of both. / Marco Castaldi
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
City College of New York
(www.cclabs.org)
(www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert/)
9:40 / Just How Safe Is Energy Recovery?
With the results of an extensive literature review in-hand, this presentation will consider ER in the context of human health and risk assessment studies. / Sarah Foster
CPF Associates
Health + Environmental Risk Consultants
Bethesda,Maryland
(www.cpfassociates.com)
10:20 / Networking Break
10:40 / Energy Recovery as an Energy Source
This session will highlight the practical benefits of ER as an increasingly important means of energy production, how ER will fit into long-term energy planning, and outline what can be expected from the next generation of equipment. / Jason Chee-Aloy
Power Advisory LLC
Toronto, Ontario
(www.poweradvisoryllc.com)
11:20 / Public Opinion Polling and Stakeholders Communications
This head of Canada’s finest research agency will discuss public attitudes towards ER, and highlight ways to build political support for “controversial” policies with growing public acceptance. / Greg Lyle
Principal
Innovative Research Group
Toronto, Ontario
(www.innovativeresearch.com)
12:00 / Lunch
12:40 / Domestic and International Review
Representatives from Europe and the US will discuss policy and political developments in their respective jurisdictions; explain why the industry continues to grow in the most progressive regions; and ascertain what these diverse policy regimes have to say about the challenges and opportunities presented by the enhanced utilization of ER technologies. / Bettina Kamuk
Ramboll Engineering
Copenhagen, Denmark
Rick Brandes
US Environmental Protection Agency (Retired)
Washington, DC
1:20 / A Canadian Review of Energy Recovery Technologies
A review of past Canadian initiatives on ER research and international collaborations leading to the development of current national emissions guidelines and regulatory practices. In addition, the panelist will provide technical overview of existing and emerging ER technologies. / Steve Sawell
Research Associate
University of Waterloo
200 / Networking Break
2:20 / The Need For Waste Innovation In Canada
Is there a role for advanced and innovative waste management in Canada? Several national R&D ‘capacity-building’ options will be discussed including the development of an independent Canadian “institute.” / Tracey Forrest
Director
Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy
(wise.uwaterloo.ca)
2:40 / A To Do List: Creating An Energy Recovery Action Plan
In a highly interactive panel discussion of prominent researchers/visionaries will deliberate on the future of ER utilization and identify the research gaps that inhibit the adoption of advanced ER technologies that could help build and sustain a strong ER industry to serve Canada’s municipal and industrial waste needs.
With total audience engagement, this panel will guide a discussion to create a framework for building an ER action plan. / Bill Anderson
Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Waterloo
Ed McBean
Professor and A/Dean
College of Physical and Engineering Science
University of Guelph
Marco Castaldi
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
City College of New York
(www.cclabs.org)
(www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert/)
4:15 / Closing Remarks and Next Steps