Kurt Schoppe is the Director of Operations – Western US for Viably. He is responsible for day-to-day management and oversight of all market activities, focused specifically in California, Arizona and Nevada. He is a highly respected leader in the waste and recycling industry, with over 35 years of direct experience in sales and operations management in the waste and recycling industry. His innovative approach to problem-solving has been the driver of his success in this ever-evolving industry.

Prior to joining Viably Kurt was the General Manager for SA Recycling, where he built a first-class organics recycling and composting facility focused on producing high quality soil amendment products for the agricultural, landscape and turf industries. The facility processes approximately 90,000 tons per year of green waste and yard trimmings. Recognized by City & County organizations for continuous adherence to the highest levels of compliance.

In addition to owning and operating his own greenwaste chip and grind operation he spent 18 years with biomass processing and forestry equipment manufacturer Morbark, where he was instrumental in developing biomass and organic waste solutions for the rapidly expanding green waste recycling sector and providing innovative forestry solutions to tackle the Bark Beetle infestation impacting Southern California mountain communities.

In his off time, Kurt loves to be outdoors, particularly mountain biking, hiking, and skiing in the winter.

Session Code: 2A

Track: Operations

Session Name: Fire Safety

Session Time: Wednesday, February 7, 1:45 – 3:15 PM

Presentation Title: Preventing Fires Before They Start

Presentation Description: Veteran compost facility operator Kurt Schoppe will present practical tips and techniques compost operators can use to mitigate the risk of fire at large processing facilities. Before joining Viably, Mr. Schoppe was the General Manager at SA Recycling, Thousand Palms, where he managed a 90,000 ton per year composting facility. Temperatures in Thousand Palms can routinely exceed 115° F during the day, providing substantial evaporation in a dry climate, making fires an almost an inevitability when handling large piles of organic material. Kurt will provide practical knowledge on managing fires before they happen through design and management.