About the Webinar:

Washington’s newly passed extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for paper and packaging is poised to transform the state’s recycling landscape, but what does it mean for composting and organics recycling systems?

Join us for a timely discussion on the Recycling Reform Act (RRA) and its potential ripple effects across the organics sector. McKenna Morrigan, Solid Waste Policy Lead at Seattle Public Utilities and member of the RRA Advisory Council, will break down what the law means, how it will roll out, and what stakeholders need to know now. Next, Erin Levine of HDR Consultants will bring a national perspective, sharing lessons learned from EPR implementation in other states and what those experiences could signal for Washington. Drawing from her current work on Washington’s Needs Assessment, Erin will explore key opportunities, challenges, and implications for composting and organics recycling programs.

Meet the Speakers:

Erin Levine
Senior Planner – Solid Waste & Organics, HDR, Inc.

Erin Levine has spent 20 years advancing resource recovery in California, including over a decade supporting commercial compost facilities and working with compost end users in agriculture. She previously served as Resource Recovery Manager at World Centric and now consults at HDR on Extended Producer Responsibility programs and organics management strategies. She holds a B.A. from Saint Mary’s College, is a Certified Composting Professional, and recently served on California’s SB 54 Advisory Board helping shape statewide packaging policy.

McKenna Morrigan
Strategic Advisor - Waste Prevention and Solid Waste Policy, Seattle Public Utilities

McKenna Morrigan is a strategic advisor on waste prevention and solid waste policy for Seattle Public Utilities, where she advances state and local policies that support a zero waste, circular economy. She has played a key role in developing Extended Producer Responsibility policies in Washington, including the Recycling Reform Act passed in 2025. Previously, she was a senior associate at Cascadia Consulting Group, leading research and evaluation projects on recycling programs, policies, and markets.

An in-depth look at how Cedar Grove transforms everyday food and yard waste into a nutrient rich soil amendment. Discover how Cedar Grove’s composting and organics recycling programs can help your business or organization reduce waste, meet sustainability goals, and contribute to a cleaner, greener community.

Ted Bartlett:

Ted Bartlett holds the title of District Manager for Cedar Grove Organics. With 20 years of previous restaurant and hospitality experience, Ted has worked for Banchero Family Companies since 2021 and studied environmental science and the wine trade at Central Washington University.

Sierra Arredondo:

Sierra Arredondo is the Outreach Coordinator for Cedar Grove. Sierra graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree specializing in International Business at Indiana University in 2019.

With over 10 years of experience in the food service industry, Sierra has served as a community educator for the Banchero Family Companies since early 2023.

Brian Sherman:

Brian Sherman is the Director of Sales & Marketing for Cedar Grove. Brian has been with the Banchero/Malshuk Family Companies since 2012. Prior to overseeing Marketing and Sales for the companies, Brian served as Outreach Coordinator, and as a District Manager for Cedar Grove Organics Recycling. He has extensive experience within the solid waste industry in dealing with commercial collection, account management, educational outreach events, marketing, and communications. Brian graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations from Gonzaga University in 2011.

Composting and biochar production are waste valorization technologies that can contribute to climate change mitigation and soil conservation practices. Co-composting or other means of integrating these processes is both promising and complex.  Biochar utilization can reduce emissions and nutrient loss during the composting process and improve the quality of the finished compost. Compared to "raw" biochar, co-composted biochar may also display enhanced properties that are beneficial for soil health. 

This talk will provide an overview of biochar co-composting, integration of biochar into compost at the industrial scale, and current research on the topic. Specifically, the effects of biochar on the biochemical reactions characterizing the composting process and mechanisms of interaction will be discussed. Literature and studies relating to the quantification of the effects of biochar on compost emissions, nutrient loss, and microbial communities will also be presented. Caveats of biochar addition to composting will be covered, particularly relating to process logistics and traditional metrics (and techniques) for the evaluation of compost quality.

Veronica Crow is a PhD candidate in Biological Systems Engineering at Washington State University. Her research focuses on biochar redox properties and interactions between biochar and biological systems. She is currently conducting bench-scale in-vessel composting studies to measure the effects of biochar on compost emissions and material properties, as well as batch and semi continuous anaerobic digestion experiments to better understand the mechanisms by which certain biochars can enhance methane production. She works in the Bioproducts and Bioenergy research group led by Dr. Manuel Garcia-Perez. 

Featuring Dr. Eva Stricker of University of New Mexico

Eva Stricker is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico Department of Biology and a part-time Evaluator for the Santa Fe-based regenerative agriculture non-profit the Quivira Coalition. Dr. Stricker grew up in New Mexico, received her BA from Colgate University, received her Masters from the University of Washington School of Forest Resources, and her PhD from the UNM Biology. She has expertise in plant-soil interactions and biogeochemistry in drylands, use of organic waste as a management tool for restoring degraded dry rangelands, and inquiry-based, equity-focused education for adult learners. She has mentored over 15 undergraduate research and outreach projects, including several that resulted in peer-reviewed publication and/or presentation at regional and national conferences. Eva is the former director of Quivira Coalition’s Carbon Ranch Initiative where she oversaw over 50 educational workshops on working ranches across the intermountain west. She is passionate about using conflict communication skills to better educate students and help land stewards make decisions that balance economic, social, and ecological resources and challenges.

Featuring Rachel Wieme, WSU; James McPhee, McPhee's Butcher Block; and more!

Presenters: Reingard Rieger of Tilth Alliance and Liz Erickson of City of Vancouver

The May 2025 Webinar is free of charge thanks to the WORC and NW Biosolids Partnership for this event.

This webinar, presented in collaboration with NW Biosolids, offers expert consideration of the current state of PFAS regulations and litigation, and explores developments in PFAS scientific research. Our presenters, Dr. Sally Brown and Jimmy Slaughter, will discuss the impacts of the 2025 EPA draft risk assessment and offer guidance on advocating for biosolids utilization while minimizing legal risk.

Presented in collaboration with NW Biosolids