Workshop Video:

The video of the workshop can be found here and below.

Workshop Photos:

The photos from the workshop can be found here on our Flickr account.

Workshop Summary Report:

A summary report of the workshop and presentations can be found here.

Workshop Presentations:

A complete collection of workshop presentations can be found here.

Looking for a specific presentation? Click on one of the links below.

Keynote Presentations:

 Alexandre Lemille

Optimizing Circular Value (OCV)

 Wendy Ren

Waste Free Ontario and Circular Economy

 Hilary French

From Farm to Fork: Reducing Food Waste in a Circular Economy

 Stephane Arditi

Circular Economy in Europe - Focus on Products and Waste Policies

 John Wilkinson

Circular Economy and Public Policy

 Amar Mohanty

Circular Economy: A Path Towards Innovating Biobased Materials

Panel Presentations:

 Phil Dick

Mass Balance Implications when Defining Circular Opportunities for Zero Waste

 Scott Hamlin

Upcycling in a not so Circular Economy

 Meena Hassanali

Building a Business Case for Food Loss + Waste Reduction

 John Pigott

Remember the Consumer when Designing Products for the Circular Economy

 Atul Bali

Land to Brand to Land - Using Undervalued Coproducts and by-products of Agriculture

Hosted by:

Our Sponsors:

Collaborating Partners:

Workshop Convener: Amar K. Mohanty, University of Guelph

Circular Economy Towards Mitigating Climate Change

The Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre (BDDC) hosted a Workshop on Circular Economy towards Mitigating Climate Change on May 5, 2017 in Guelph. The focus of the workshop was on deriving value-added products from waste.

Theme of the workshop:

• Waste minimization via a closed-loop system
• Food wastes as raw materials for new industrial products
• Household waste carpets & electronics valorization
• Industrial coproducts and byproducts valorization

Topics covered:

• Circular economy and waste free world
• How the circular economy will lead towards mitigating climate change
• Waste to value-added sustainable materials-exemplifying the circular economy
• Moves towards a circular economy for economic growth

Registration:

Registration is closed

Hosted by:

Our Sponsors:

Collaborating Partners:

Program: 

Download a copy of the draft workshop agenda here. 

Download a copy of the workshop flyer here. 

Workshop Policies: 

Policy on Respectful Dialogue

The workshop on a Circular Economy Towards Mitigating Climate Change is committed to a positive environment dedicated to excellence, equity and mutual respect. We welcome a wide diversity of participants from industry, government and academia. We encourage all attendees to keep dialogue courteous and criticism constructive. We encourage a lively and respectful debate of ideas. However, personal criticisms will not be tolerated. 

Policy on Social Media Use

The workshop on a Circular Economy Towards Mitigating Climate Change encourages the use of social media before, during and after the workshop and we invite you to blog, tweet, or Instagram your experience of the workshop. 

We ask that you adhere to the following guidelines for social media use:

• Refrain from sharing information when a speaker specifically requests that information NOT be shared;
• Refrain from taking photographs when a presenter requests that their work not be photographed;
• Be respectful of presenters and try to limit social media use during presentations;
• Communicate your thoughts and ideas about the workshop in a respectful manner, keeping any criticism constructive; and
• Do not engage in rudeness.

Policy on Speaker Presentations

Our policy for speakers prohibits sales-type presentations. Speakers are encouraged to avoid direct promotion or endorsement of any single company, product and/or service. However, speakers may use examples of products from their institute/company in the context of the Circular Economy.

Hosted by:

Our Sponsors:

Collaborating Partners:

Workshop Convener: Amar K. Mohanty,  University of Guelph

Moderators:

Jim Grey
CEO of IGPC Ethanol Inc.

ww2.igpc.ca/

Jim Grey, P.Eng, received his degree in Chemical Engineering from McGill University. Since then he has spent his entire career in Agricultural processing. His background includes technical, plant management and senior executive roles in Canada, the US and Europe, primarily with Casco, Inc. as President and its parent Corn Products International (now Ingredion Inc.) as Executive Vice President, North America. Jim served on the Board of Directors of Canada Starch Inc., Commercial Alcohol Inc. (Greenfield Energy), GTC Nutrition Inc. and currently serves as the Chair of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, Vice Chair of the AgEnergy Co-operative Board of Directors, Chair of the AgEnergy Co-operative Corporate Governance Committee and is a member of BioIndustrial Innovation’s Canada Board of Directors.

Jim is the CEO of IGPC Ethanol Inc. and a member of the Board. IGPC Ethanol Inc. is wholly owned by Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative Inc., one of the largest agri-business cooperatives in Ontario.  Jim joined the company located in Aylmer, Ontario prior to plant completion in April 2008 and continues to lead the business with a focus on strategic initiatives for the future. Jim has recently received the Chartered Director’s (C.Dir) designation from The Directors College (a joint venture of McMaster University and the Conference Board of Canada).

Hamdy Khalil
Senior Global Director for Advanced Technologies Research and Product Development and Innovation for the Woodbridge Group

www.woodbridgegroup.com/

Dr. Hamdy Khalil is the Senior Global Director for Advanced Technologies Research and Product Development and Innovation for the Woodbridge Foam Corporation at The Woodbridge Group. Dr. Khalil holds a BSc with majors in chemistry and physics from the University of Alexandria in Egypt, an MSc in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cairo University in Egypt and a PhD from Windsor University. Dr. Khalil pioneered the introduction and commercialization of renewable materials into the polyurethane chemistry used in the interior automotive parts manufacturing which is now the benchmark for the industry. Prior to his present position at Woodbridge Foam Corporation - a major manufacturer of flexible moulded polyurethane foam for the global automotive industry- Dr. Khalil held positions at Labatt's in the pharmaceutical Division, for PolySar Corporation as analytical laboratory supervisor and as Senior Technical Manager for BFGoodrich. Dr. Khalil sits on the scientific advisory committee of ArboraNano and on the NRC steering committee for Bio-products development. He is the Vice Chair of the Ontario Bioautocouncil Board of Directors and Chair of the investment committee for CRIB Board of Directors. Dr. Khalil is one of the pioneers for the development of Phase Transfer Catalysis (PTC). He participated and Chaired many Biotechnology International Conferences. He holds patent in the areas of Polyurethane structural sealants, Latex, Styrenics and Bio Polyols. His first passion is the mentoring and development of young scientists and technical personnel.

Manjusri Misra
Professor at the University of Guelph

www.uoguelph.ca/

Dr. Manju Misra is a Professor in the School of Engineering and holds a joint appointment in the Dept. of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph. Dr. Misra’s research focuses primarily on novel bio-based composites and nanocomposites from agricultural and forestry resources for the sustainable bio-economy targeting the development of bio-based and eco-friendly alternatives to the existing petroleum-based products. She has authored more than 350 publications, including 230+ peer-reviewed journal papers, 16 book chapters, and 15 granted patents.

She was an editor of the CRC Press volume, "Natural Fibers, Biopolymers and Biocomposites," Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL (2005). She was also an editor of the Woodhead Publishing volume "Biocomposites: Design and Mechanical Performance" (2015); Springer Publishing "Polymer Nanocomposites" (2014); and American Scientific Publishers volume "Packaging Nanotechnology" (2009) .

She was the 2009 President of the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society (BEPS). She serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of a number of international scientific journals. In 2012, Dr. Misra received the prestigious "Jim Hammer Memorial Award" in Texas, USA from the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society.

Her current research is primarily focused on novel biobased materials from agricultural and forestry resources for the sustainable bio-economy; and application of nanotechnology in materials uses.

Tyler Whale
President of Ontario Agri-Food Technologies

www.oaft.org/

Tyler Whale is the president of Ontario Agri-Food Technologies. He is a lucky hybrid of agricultural and academic backgrounds and possesses passion, experience and insight into the agri-food industry. Tyler was raised on a 7th generation dairy farm in Wellington County.  After completing his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at McMaster University in 1999, Tyler went on to obtain a PhD in microbiology/immunology from the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in 2005 and an MBA in 2007.  

Along with two decades of farming experience, Tyler is an experienced entrepreneur and most recently worked at the University of Guelph’s Catalyst Centre for 6 years initiating collaborative R&D projects between industry and academia. Dr. Whale maintains an active role in his community and is a strong advocate for Canadian agriculture, the Canadian regulatory system and the opportunities Canada has in a global marketplace.

Keynote Speakers: 

Alexandre Lemille
Founder & MD of Wizeimpact
Co-founder of the African Circular Economy Network

wizeimpact.com/

Alex Lemille is the Founder of Wizeimpact, a South Africa based for-purpose company that leverages business-as-a-powerful-tool to address environmental and societal challenges, turning wealth-centered linear businesses into Value-focused Circular Ventures (VCVs). Since joining The Ellen MacArthur Foundation CE100 Emerging Innovators in early 2013 (then as a Cisco Systems employee), Alex has been promoting the circular economy in emerging markets to change the way organisations and governments do business. Alex created and promotes the concept of a Valued Circular Economy (VCE), which views the circular economy from a social impact angle, ensuring prosperity while operating within an inclusive circular economy structure. Recognised as the first advocate of the circular economy in South Africa, Alex teaches at national universities, provides specialized training to corporate leaders and speaks at international conferences on the importance of the circular economy. He has also appeared on multiple radio shows and is renowned for offering exciting circular economy-related courses at primary schools. Ultimately, it is the opportunity for value creation in emerging markets which inspires Alex to support South Africa and other African countries in their transition to a socially inclusive circular economy.

Stephane Arditi
Circular Economy, Products & Waste Policy Manager
European Environmental Bureau

www.eeb.org/

Stephane Arditi has an educational background in three areas: urban geography, philosophy and environmental management. From 1996 to 2006, Stephane Arditi worked in France and the UK, notably for Renault Automotive SA, as a quality consultant delivering lean manufacturing services in the automotive sector. In 2006, after obtaining a master in environmental management, he collaborated with the University of Toulouse-Le Mirail on research programmes dedicated to energy efficiency in buildings and energy efficiency policy evaluation. In 2009, he joined the European Environmental Bureau, where he is now in charge of product and waste policy. In his daily work, Stephane is monitoring the development of legislation and economic instruments at European level to support a transition towards a circular economy and a zero waste society. He is also an observer in the OECD working party on resource productivity and waste prevention.

John Wilkinson
Senior Vice President, Sustainability, GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.

www.gfsa.com/

John Wilkinson is the Senior Vice President, Sustainability for GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc. John is well known to the University for his eight years as an MPP at Queen's Park. From 2003 - 2011 he represented the rural ridings of Perth-Middlesex, then Perth-Wellington. He also served in Cabinet as Minister of Research & Innovation, Minister of Revenue and as Minister of the Environment.

Wendy Ren
Director, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-environment-and-climate-change

Wendy Ren is currently the Director at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s (MOECC) Resource Recovery Policy Branch where she is leading the transformation of Ontario’s waste diversion policy framework. Wendy has worked in several ministries and has led the development of seven major pieces of legislation.  In the MOECC, she led development of the Waste-Free Ontario Act and accompanying Strategy, the Great Lakes Protection Act, the Lake Simcoe Protection Act and Plan, and Brownfields regulation. Prior to joining MOECC, Wendy worked in the Ministry of Infrastructure and played a key role in the development and implementation of the Growth Plan in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area.  She has also worked in municipalities and the private sector. Wendy holds a Ph.D in Urban Studies, a Master’s degree in planning, and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture.

Hilary French
Program Management Officer, United Nations Environment Programme's Regional Office for North America

www.rona.unep.org

Hilary French is a Program Management Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme's Regional Office for North America, where her work focuses on climate change, sustainable energy, air quality and pollution, sustainable consumption and production, food waste, and the green economy.  Hilary has previously served as a special advisor to UNEP on a broad range of issues, including civil society engagement and globalization and the environment.  She came to UNEP from the Worldwatch Institute, where she served in diverse capacities, including as Vice President for Research, as Director of the Globalization and Governance Project, as Senior Advisor for Programs, and as a Senior Researcher.             

Hilary has published and lectured widely on global environmental and sustainable development issues, including co-authoring fifteen of Worldwatch's annual State of the World reports and authoring the book Vanishing Borders: Protecting the Planet in the Age of Globalization. She is also the author of six Worldwatch Papers, including Partnerships for the Planet: an Environmental Agenda for the United Nations and Clearing the Air: a Global Agenda.  She earlier worked briefly for Ashoka, a global association of social entrepreneurs, and interned with the United Nations Development Programme in the Ivory Coast and with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva.  Hilary has also worked as a consultant to private foundations and as a Visiting Professor at Williams College. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Amar K. Mohanty
Professor & Ontario Premier’s Research Chair in Biomaterials and Transportation, University of Guelph​
Director, Bioproducts Discovery & Development Centre

Amar Mohanty, a Professor and Premier’s Research Chair in Biomaterials and Transportation is also the Director of Bioproducts Discovery & Development Centre (BDDC) at the University of Guelph. He is an international leader in the field of bioplastics and biobased materials.  He has more than 700 publications to his credit, including 309 peer-reviewed journal papers (includes accepted), and 46 Patents awarded/applied. The impact of his research is evidenced by the total citation number of 20, 348 with an h-index of 67 (Google). Prof. Mohanty received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society (BEPS). He is an accomplished researcher and was the holder of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship at the Technical University of Berlin, Germany and received the Andrew Chase Forest Products Division Award from the Forest Products Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Currently he holds the Director (elect) position of Forest Products Division of Institute of the AIChE.

Invited Panel Speakers:

Phil Dick
Business Development Officer, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

www.omafra.gov.on.ca

Phil is a Business Resource Specialist in the Strategic Marketing and Analysis Unit of the Business Development Branch at OMAFRA where he works with food industry stakeholders on energy efficiency, water, logistics, climate change and environment performance. He is active across ministries on various files including Climate Change, Great Lakes Water, Green Energy, Energy Efficiency, Cap and Trade, Food Waste and, Transportation/Logistics. Phil sits on the Performance Measurement Technical Working Group of the Provincial Wine and Grape Strategy. He is a regular participant on ministry Industry Attraction and Retention projects. Prior to his 24 years with the ministry, Phil spent 12 years in progressive management positions in the agricultural supply sector and the food processing industry. His experience includes general management, agronomy, sales, marketing, logistics, procurement and QA.

John M. Pigott
CEO, Club Coffee L.P.

www.clubcoffee.ca/

John Morrison Pigott is CEO of Toronto-based Club Coffee. John is also President and CEO of Morrison Lamothe Inc.. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario, he worked for Xerox Canada from 1980 to 1986. Returning to Morrison Lamothe, John was appointed Vice President in July 1986 and appointed President and CEO in June 1989. He has been active for almost 30 years in private company and industry boards, task forces, and associations, including: Canadian Association of Family Business, Young Presidents Organization, Director of Food and Consumer Products of Canada and its predecessor GPMC, Past Chairman of the Further Poultry Processors of Canada; Past Member of the University of Ottawa, Advisory Board, Faculty of Administration.

Atul Bali
CEO, Competitive Green Technologies

http://www.competitivegreentechnologies.com/

Atul Bali is CEO of Competitive Green Technologies, a Leamington ON based company, specializing in innovative bio-polymer compounding.He is graduate of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India – Gold Medalist. Specialization in Strategic Management, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Atul has 35 years of professional experience in automotive industry and industrial applications, and has worked in senior and top management positions at The Timken Company for 17 years on three continents – Asia, Europe and North America. He was General Manager of Timken for European Industrial Operations based in France, when he moved to Canada as President and Officer of Inscape Corp, a TSX company, in late 2002. Atul has passion for industrial bio-technology. 

Scott Hamlin
Founder & CEO, LOOPTWORKS

www.looptworks.com

Scott Hamlin is the Founder and CEO of LOOPTWORKS, a certified B corporation design brand that creates meaningful products from excess materials.  Looptworks repurposes abandoned materials into beautiful, long-lasting and limited-edition products such as bags, clothing and accessories.  With industry experience at adidas AG, Jockey International and Royal Robbins, Hamlin is considered a thought leader on the circular economy from a practitioner’s perspective. His passion is focused on re-imagining product creation with a focus on zero waste and closed loop manufacturing methods. By re-using the world's pre and post-consumer excess, the Portland, Oregon based brand aims to rid the world of waste, while inspiring a generation to reduce their impact on the planet. Based on Hamlin's reputation in the field, he was recognized for his work in the area of sustainable capitalism and was selected to participate on a panel with former Vice President and Nobel Peace Laureate, Al Gore as a pioneer of sustainable industries.

Meena Hassanali
Director of Industry Programs, Provision Coalition

http://www.provisioncoalition.com/

Meena Hassanali is a results driven sustainability professional with over 13 years of diversified experience in working with private and public sector stakeholders to drive transformative change and apply sustainable solutions that add business value. At Provision Meena is responsible for managing and delivering industry programs and initiatives, including the Processing Food Sustainably Program. One of her major accomplishments at Provision has been to assist with the development and launch of an award winning Online Sustainability Portal as a one-stop resource for food and beverage companies to assess, monitor and improve their sustainability performance.  Meena also leads Provision’s food waste project by engaging stakeholders across the value chain on food waste reduction initiatives to address the $31 billion in food wasted annually in Canada. Prior to joining Provision, Meena worked at the Bloom Centre for Sustainability (BLOOM) where she spent nine years delivering industry sustainability programs including the award winning BLOOM’s On-site Technical Assistance Program to assist small and medium sized (SME) manufacturers reduce their risks, costs, and environmental footprint.  Through all the programs, she has worked with over seventy businesses to integrate sustainability principles into their strategy, day-to-day operations, and decision making to achieve triple bottom line results. Passionate about Provision’s mission, Meena continues to take a leadership role in the development of strategic partnerships among private, public and non-government organizations. Meena holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto in Environmental Science and a master’s degree in Environmental Studies from York University.

Hosted by:

Our Sponsors:

Collaborating Partners: