Co-Digestion of Food Waste at Wastewater Treatment Facilities: Leveraging Existing Infrastructure for Organics Diversion (October 23rd, 2025)
This webinar explored how wastewater treatment plants are tapping into existing infrastructure to co-digest food waste, creating a cost-effective, sustainable pathway for organics diversion. Speakers highlighted real-world examples of partnerships between treatment facilities and food waste processors, showcasing how these collaborations enhance energy recovery, reduce landfill use, and maximize the potential of anaerobic digestion systems already in place.
Meet our Speakers:
Janine Burke-Wells, Executive Director, NEBRA
Janine is the Executive Director of the North East Biosolids & Residuals Association. Prior to NEBRA, she worked as a public servant for over three decades – 10 years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and over 20 years in local government where she managed several wastewater systems in Rhode Island. Janine led the City of Warwick Sewer Authority's response and recovery from the 2010 flood that wiped out the treatment facility and numerous pump stations.
Janine has a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Public Administration from Northeastern University. She continues to maintain a Rhode Island Wastewater Operator’s license that someone went out of their way to help her obtain early on in her clean water career.
Andrew Opperman, Engineer, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (OHSWA)
Andrew Opperman is a Professional Engineer that has been working within the solid waste industry for over 13 years. As the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority’s Engineer, he is responsible for construction management, facility safety, and operational oversight. Andrew has overseen improvement projects for recycling processing, landfill operations, and the development and construction of the Source Separated Organics Processing Facility. He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s in Systems Engineering and Technology Management.
Jane Gajwani, Director of the Office of Energy and Resource Recovery Programs, Agency Chief Decarbonization Office, New York City Department of Environmental Protection
Jane Gajwani is a Professional Engineer with nearly 30 years of experience working in the intersection of water and energy. As the Director of the Office of Energy and Resource Recovery Programs and the Agency Chief Decarbonization Officer for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, she and her group are tasked with plotting the course for the Agency to achieve both carbon and energy neutrality. Prior to joining DEP, she developed greenhouse gas and energy reduction strategies on the municipal, regional, and national levels within the water and waste sectors. She has both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from The Cooper Union.
Debra Darby, Client Manager, Tetra Tech
Ms. Debra Darby is a client manager with 16 years of organics experience, and she leads Tetra Tech’s organics management initiative in Tetra Tech’s Solid Waste East (SWE) region. Ms. Darby has garnered a reputation as a leader in her field through her extensive background working with organics and compostable materials, assisting clients with designing, and implementing organics management infrastructure and waste reduction plans. She has 25 years of experience in environmental marketing and has served as a strategic advisor in the public and private sectors.
