Bob Rynk has been researching and teaching about composting for over 30 years. Bob is Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York, Cobleskill campus (SUNY Cobleskill), having retired in 2019. His areas of expertise include waste management, natural treatment processes and alternative energy. At SUNY Cobleskill, Bob taught courses on composting, waste management and bioenergy. He also coordinated the Environmental and Energy Technology Bachelor’s degree program at SUNY Cobleskill. Prior to SUNY Cobleskill, Bob was Senior Technical Editor for BioCycle magazine and Executive Editor of the peer-reviewed journal, Compost Science and Utilization. Bob is the principal editor and an author for the recently-published book, The Composting Handbook, and editor of its 1992-predecessor, the On-Farm Composting Handbook.

Workshop Time: Tuesday, Feb 6, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Workshop Title: Foundations of Composting

Workshop Description: This intensive and interactive one-day training will cover the basic concepts, practices and “how to’s” of commercial compost production. The course will provide a broad foundation for novice compost operators, managers and regulators and will refresh veteran composters on the underlying scientific principles. Subjects will include: Basic principles of composting, process insights, facility design and management, feedstock properties, qualities of compost, odor control,  major processing methods, and an overview of markets for compost. Serves as a review in preparation for the Certified Compost Operations Manager™ test or the Certified Composting Professional™ test.