HomeMy WebLinkAboutRFQ_BozemanSustainableOranicsProcessingServices-HappyTrashCanFrom:Happy Trash Can
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]BOZEMAN SUSTAINABLE ORGANICS MANAGEMENT PROCESSING SERVICES - Happy Trash Can
Curbside Composting LLC - 2/29/2024, 2:00 PM
Date:Thursday, February 29, 2024 10:09:34 AM
Attachments:RFQ_BozemanSustainableOranicsProcessingServices-HappyTrashCan.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear selection committee,
Please find Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC's submittal for Request for Qualifications for the
Bozeman Sustainable Organics Management processing service. If you have any questions or
if further information is required, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please confirm receipt of this email and attachments.
Our best,Ryan Green & Adrienne HuckaboneOwners/operators
2143 Story Mill Drive
Bozeman, MT 59715
www.happytrashcan.net 406-570-0896
Request for
Qualifications
BOZEMAN SUSTAINABLE
ORGANICS MANAGEMENT
PROCESSING SERVICES
February 28th 2024
Happy Trash CanCurbside Composting
Outline
A. Experience
B. Background
C. Workload
D. Claims
E. References
Page A.2 - A.4
Pg 1
Page B.5 - B.12
Page C.13 - C.14
Page D.15
Page E.16 - E.18
Introduction
We at Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC (HTC) have developed efficient composting
systems in our community, allowing us to expand the diversion of organic material for Bozeman
Solid Waste, Montana State University, and our private partners. Our company's systems and
management, which we have developed over the last 8 years, allow us to provide the selection
committee with detailed qualifications that show our expertise when applying for the “Bozeman
Sustainable Organics Management Processing Services” RFQ.
Additionally, our firm has invested in state-of-the-art composting equipment, including
specialized aerated static pile and temperature monitoring systems, which meet or exceed
regulatory compliance and allow us to manage the composting process efficiently and ensure
optimal conditions for microbial activity. These special capabilities enable us to deliver superior
composting results while meeting the city’s organic expansion needs.
In 2017, we began using covered aerated static pile systems (CASP) with a 50-foot-long system
provided by Sustainable Generation (SG) to expand our compost processing abilities. Having
worked with open windrows in south Bozeman, we found this SG technology to increase our
processing efficiencies significantly.
As we gained experience with these CASP system parameters, we expanded to two systems to
fit our volume load in 2019. We worked out how to effectively manage airflow, oxygen levels, and
water content to maintain efficient thermophilic decomposition. With each finished compost
batch, our expertise in these systems has grown, and we have developed a deeper understanding
of the nuances of this equipment.
Since investing in our first SG mobile system 7 years ago, we have been able to trial how to
optimize these systems to the best of our abilities. We have our recipes and monitoring capabilities
dialed in to ensure a continuous and effective composting process. Our perpetual learning and
adaptive abilities have been key to our success in managing these systems effectively and
producing high-quality compost as the final product. For more details on our finished compost,
jump ahead to section B, Page 11.
Experience
A. Pg 2
Summer (2021)
Covered active pile on the
left, setting up new HDPE
pipes to build out a new
system in the middle, and an
uncovered curing pile to the
right
Project: Composting with Bozeman Solid Waste
2143 Story Mill Road, Bozeman, MT.
Contact: Kevin Handelin, (406) 582-2250
We currently run four 100-foot-long windrow systems that can hold 400-500 cubic yards of
material each and two 50-foot systems that hold 250 cubic yards. With these six mobile CASP
systems in place, we have the ability to continuously compost 11,600 cubic yards annually through a
staggered 8-10-week schedule. We currently compost yard scraps and leaves from the BSW’s
collections on the 100 ft long systems.
Since February 2021, we have worked with the City of Bozeman’s Solid Waste Department
(BSW) as their compost processor by composting green waste from the Bozeman Convenience
Site, BSW’s summer curbside compost collections, city street division leaf clean up and food waste
from Montana State University (MSU). HTC is listed as the operations manager for composting at
Bozeman Solid Waste’s facility, Minor class IV landfill—license number 196.
Over the last three years, we have successfully processed approximately 4,500 cubic yards of
material on behalf of BSW. Our working relationship with BSW continues, and we are currently
engaged in composting activities at the Bozeman Convenience Site. Our composting process is an
8-week on-pipe, covered aerated static pile system (CASP). We utilize the SG Mobile Systems with
GORE covers from Sustainable Generation.
When entering our composting work with BSW, we were tasked with composting the food
scraps collected from multiple Montana State University (MSU) sites. Once MSU's collections team
gathered the waste into a 20-yard roll-off container, BSW would transport it back to the
composting site. We would immediately mix the 20 cubic yards of food scraps at each weekly
delivery with carbon materials, ensuring a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. This mixture was
then moistened and set onto our CASP systems, where active composting would occur.
This collaboration with HTC and BSW has demonstrated the effectiveness of our composting
systems, site management abilities, and the technology utilized in our process. We have refined our
processes and optimized our processing capabilities by working closely with BSW on their
collected scraps from Montana State University from 2021 to 2023. By taking the time in the last 3
years to scale up to this point and iron out our procedures, we now have more capability to handle
more volume than we could have before we could move onto BSW’s composting site.
In addition to processing material on site, we also work alongside BSW staff for site
management, which includes, but is not limited to: accepting incoming loads of green waste from
BSW and other city departments, managing public compost drop-off areas, plowing roads in
winter, site cleanliness, etc.
Experience
A. Pg 3
Project: Composting with Montana State University
MSU Campus Organics Collections
Contact: EJ Hook, (406) 599-7601.
In September 2024, the collections team at MSU was disbanded, and our composting
partnership was expanded to include hauling the food scraps in addition to processing them. We
now service MSU three times a week, collecting approximately 6 cubic yards (6,000 pounds) of
food scraps on each service day. To facilitate this, we continue to use the collection bins that MSU
and BSW had previously designated. On collection days, we collect all full toters, drop off washed
ones, and haul the material back to the site.
Once the food scraps are returned to our composting site, we track the diversion weight, dump
the bins, and hand-sort through all the material to eliminate contamination. By carefully sorting
through the material, we ensure that only organic waste is included in the composting process,
resulting in a high-quality and clean end product.
Overall, our expanded role in the MSU composting program allows us to provide a
comprehensive and sustainable solution for managing the university's food waste. By combining
hauling and processing services, we can streamline the composting process and ensure that MSU's
food scraps are diverted from landfills and instead turned into valuable compost.
Finished compost made from the college’s food scraps is sold back to different venues on campus,
such as the American Indian Hall Garden, Hort Farm Garden, and more.
While we are now the sole company working with MSU on its organic recycling needs, we still
see this contract as a partnership between MSU, HTC, and BSW. Thus, the city can market the
success of this program to the community as BSW works to expand composting via its proposed
year-round curbside program that will include food scraps.
Experience
A. Pg 4
February (2022)
Active SG CASP
Windrows and
Equipment
Background
B. Pg 5
History
Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC (HTC) was founded in the summer of 2016 by husband
and wife owners Ryan Green and Adrienne Huckabone. We moved to Adrienne’s hometown of
Bozeman to set up a year-round food scrap recycling program, as no other public entity or private
business was doing so in the community. With Ryan’s previous experience of two years in high-density
composting with the New York City Compost Project, plus many years of organic agriculture work,
HTC has experiential roots spanning over 10 years in the organics recycling industry. We launched
when we contracted our first client, the Bozeman Food Co-Op to collect their food scraps weekly
and compost them on a local farm. Eight years later, HTC has grown exponentially to be the leader of
food scrap collections in Bozeman and one of the few companies in Montana to offer year-round
food scrap collections and processing.
Ryan's background in urban composting with the NYC Compost Project gave him experience with
in-vessel composting, open windrow composting, and the mobile CASP system composting. Our
extensive hands-on experience and thorough research led us to conclude that this processing
technology aligns best with our needs for processing food scraps in our climate.
We are active and engaged United States Composting Council (USCC) members. We attended
the 2023 and 2024 national conferences. The council provides up-to-date guidance, studies, and
networks that help us ensure that we follow the composting guidelines set by the council and are
current on today's information. This involvement lets us stay informed about the latest advancements,
best practices, and regulations in the composting industry. It also provides valuable networking
opportunities, enabling us to connect with other professionals and organizations in the field,
exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects. Our active participation in the USCC demonstrates our
commitment to staying informed and continuously improving our composting practices.
In addition to our core hauling, processing, and distributing compost activities, we continuously
engage in community outreach and education. One of our notable initiatives is the annual free
community event, Pumpkin Smash, which we launched in 2016 and recently expanded to collaborate
with the Bozeman Parks Department in 2023. This annual free event has been instrumental in
expanding our reach and impact within the community. With the support of the Parks Department, we
hope to continue this growth and influence on the community.
Every season since 2018, we have partnered with the Bozeman Farmer's Market to establish a
zero-waste market and promote sustainable practices among market-goers. We table at many
environmental events for compost awareness and outreach. Additionally, with proper coordination
and permissions in place from the Bozeman Convenience Site, we offer guided tours of our compost
site to students and groups. Over the past three years, we have given Montana State University (MSU)
students talks and tours. These engagements have proven highly engaging and educational,
furthering our mission of promoting composting and sustainable living practices.
Background
B. Pg 6
September (2021)
Adrienne Huckabone
Ryan Green
Owners
Stability
As the first company to offer food scrap collections and processing in Bozeman and Gallatin
County, we created the local market for year-round organics recycling pick-ups and processing
and consistently expanded it throughout our community over the last 8 years. We have proven to
the community that we are a stable and reliable source for organics diversion. Every year, we have
seen consistent growth in our business since its launch. For example, between 2022 and 2023, we
saw a 20% growth in business, showing a firm standing in the marketplace and allowing us to
invest in equipment that will increase our processing capacity. Our financial standings for our
company are strong, with yearly profits being in the black. We have never had to set up a bond for
a job.
Every year, we have taken increased revenue from our hauling fees to invest in back-end
processing capacity to increase our ability to compost large volumes of incoming feedstock from
our curbside partners, and the increasing demand at the Bozeman Convenience Site and summer
yard waste program ran by BSW. In 2021, we purchased our CAT 908 M wheel loader and four new
100-foot GORE Cover ASP systems from Sustainable Generation to meet the demand for
composting BSW feedstock at the convenience site. During the summer of 2023, we purchased
our TromALL trommel screener to alleviate a bottleneck in our systems and get more finished
compost into the community, thus increasing annual revenue. In addition to the screener purchase
in 2023, we have acquired a 5th 100-ft SG Mobile unit (adding processing capacity of 2,250 c.y.
annually) and plan on implementing it this coming spring.
In our eighth year of business, we look back at the changes in our community’s market for year-
round food scrap composting via residential curbside and commercial pick-ups. We have grown
from collecting from a few residential and commercial customers to the present day, where we
are hauling and processing 2.5 million pounds of food scraps annually and additionally working
with Bozeman Solid Waste to increase on-site composting capacity at our current working location
of the Bozeman Convenience Site (2143 Story Mill Road Bozeman, MT 59715).
Annual Volume
Currently, HTC offers year-round curbside composting for residential & commercial clients,
event composting, compost processing for BSW, and compost sales. We service over 1,200
households and 50 commercial businesses, hauling approximately 61 cubic yards (50,000 pounds)
of food scraps weekly (annual hauling equal to 3,484 c.y./2.5 million pounds) from our curbside
partners. All collected material is hauled back to our current site of operation, 2143 Story Mill
Road, Bozeman, MT 59715 (Bozeman Convenience Site), where we dump, pick through for
contamination and process the food scraps by mixing them with carbon material (leaves collected
by the City of Bozeman’s Street Department, parks, cemetery, and from public drop-off at the
convenience site. Wood chips from local arborist & city’s forestry department) at a roughly 1:1 ratio
(approximately 3,484 c.y of leaves/wood chops processed annually via this feedstock). We
currently have a throughput capacity of 11,500 cubic yards of material annually using our CASP
systems.
Special Capabilities
Our extensive experience underscores our innovative approach to composting and our
continuous efforts to enhance our processing capabilities. We understand the importance of
diverting and composting as much volume as possible while staying abreast of new technologies
and research findings. This commitment is to ensure not only a great diversion rate but also a
healthy end product.
In the summer of 2023, we participated in a nationwide study to shape the standards of
bioplastic and compostable packaging in composting, a project spearheaded by the Composting
Consortium, an initiative of Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy (i.e., the
Center). We took on this work because we firmly believe in the significance of compostable
materials, a growing material category that is projected to grow 16% annually through 2032, and
have the ability to divert more food waste from landfills and in turn, could help Bozeman achieve
its food waste reduction goals. According to findings from the Composting Consortium’s study, our
incoming feedstock comprises 37% compostable packaging by volume. We are actively
demonstrating our ability to accept high volumes of compostable packaging and food waste and
successfully process these materials.
We are committed to advancing the education of compostable packaging within the industry.
The study, which will be published in April, is poised to serve as a benchmark for in-field testing
nationwide, providing valuable insights that will help guide future developments and practices in
composting. Our involvement in this study underscores our dedication to staying at the forefront of
material innovation and contributing to the evolution of composting standards and best
management practices for processing food waste and compostable packaging.
Background
B. Pg 7
Experience
B. Pg 8
Maintaining that a clean feedstock and a clean finished product is one of our number one
priorities, we also participated in a contamination study with the Center. Through this national
study, which was publicly released in February, we received data indicating that our hard work to
educate our customer base about the importance of keeping contaminants out of the stream has
been successful. Our feedstock is 96% clean and our finished compost is 100% clean of
contaminants (both by volume). We achieve these levels through continued outreach and
education, plus multiple points of control through our composting process. We have extended this
same approach to our current work with BSW and would be able to advise them with their
outreach and education while rolling out the year-round curbside organics program.
Per the findings from the Composting Consortium’s Contamination Pilot, “Happy Trash Can had
0% contamination by volume and 0.1% contamination by mass in their screened unders (ie finished
compost), yielding one of the cleanest finished composts out of the entire cohort of ten
composters across the country. The findings from this study suggest that HTC has an implied
contamination removal rate of 99%, demonstrating they are extremely effective at removing
incoming contamination and creating a high-quality product.”
June 2023, In process for the contamination and degredation study for CLP
Strengths and weaknesses
Our strengths are multifaceted, encompassing both our technical capabilities and our
commitment to community engagement. We pride ourselves on producing high-quality compost, a
testament to our expertise in processing large volumes of food waste, wood waste, and
compostable packaging. This proficiency is not only a testament to our operational efficiency but
also a reflection of our dedication to sustainable waste management practices. Our commitment
to the community is evident in our active involvement at the Bozeman Convenience site, where we
have been and are currently diligently processing compost today.
Over the past three years, we have developed efficient on-site workflow systems and
successfully troubleshooted various challenges while working at the Bozeman Convenience Site.
This track record of success is why we are confident in our working relationship with Bozeman
Solid Waste. We have an innovative approach to sustainability, coming up with new ideas and
staying ahead of the curve when it comes to compost standards and regulations. This allows us to
engage the community and promote sustainable practices.
While we excel in many areas, one challenge we face is efficiently collecting organic waste
from residential households. This is where our work collaborating with BSW can truly shine. For
decades, BSW has handled collections of residential household organic green waste, and with
their plans for organics expansion, we stand to complement their hauling capacity with our
processing. This successful partnership would allow BSW to leverage its resources and expertise to
expand residential hauling, ultimately increasing our city’s diversion rate and contributing to
Bozeman's more sustainable organics recycling system.
Background
B. Pg 9
January, 2023
Day 1 of
processing (Left)
Day 30, Halfway
through the
CASP process
(Right)
Detailed Methods of Composting:
Our composting process involves collecting and managing various feedstocks from private
residences, businesses, and the city's collection, including wood waste, leaves, grass, food waste,
and more. These materials are mixed and moistened to create a homogenized feedstock to build
a heap in one of our mobile CASP systems. We transport the mixed material from our compost pad
using our CAT 908M front-end loader. The SG Mobile Systems with GORE Covers facilitate active
composting by providing the optimum conditions for rapid aerobic decomposition with process
control elements that provide a clear separation of stormwater, emissions control for odors and
VOCs, moisture management of the compost piles with less than 2kWH per ton processed. The
process control systems allow us to set specific parameters, such as oxygen and moisture levels, to
ensure that the composting process is efficient and effective. The system is filled as quickly as
possible, typically taking about 3-4 days to collect and load approximately 450 cubic yards of
material. Once a heap is built, we set it on its 8-week active composting process, ensuring that
material from beginning to end is processed within a 10-week processing timeline.
Currently, our composting process utilizes four of these SG Mobile Systems with GORE Covers
for the BSW feedstock. We can easily and quickly scale up our operations as the collections
increase by adding more systems because of their modular design. This would assist in the growing
influx of material on-site via increased drop-off participation and the proposed year-round
curbside compost program through BSW.
After the 8 weeks on the pipe have passed and our PFRP (Process to Further Reduce
Pathogens) regulations have been met, we coordinate with the city's team to transfer the compost
from the active composting area to a curing/storing location at the west end of the site. We
coordinate with the BSW team to establish a schedule accommodating both parties, ensuring that
30-yard roll-off containers are filled promptly. This efficient process enables the pipes to be
cleared and reset, maintaining the flow of compost production while adhering to safety and
quality standards and staying streamlined and effective.
Utilizing the GORE Cover Mobile ASP systems, we process feedstocks within the 10-week
processing timeline (established by our ongoing work as BSW’s composting partner since 2021)
outlined in this RFQ. In addition to fast processing times, the GORE ASP systems allow for
extensive data monitoring via temperature and oxygen probes. By taking 5 different data points
for temperatures every 60 seconds, we can remotely track the composting process to ensure we
hit PFRP with all data logged via a server. Oxygen sensors allow us to set parameters within the
systems to tell the blower fan when to turn on and off, allowing for optimized aerobic conditions
within the active heap. Using remote sensors and data tracking dramatically reduces labor costs
for collecting information pertinent to regulatory compliance.
Background
B. Pg 10
While the control boxes have the blower fan that provides air to our system and the remote
sensors that help regulate active aeration, the GORE Covers offer many additional benefits that
give us the advantage of processing large volumes of materials in the 10-week time frame. The
covers act as an odor/emission control (California compliant for reducing VOCs) and pest barrier,
crucial during the first 4 to 6 weeks of active composting, when the material is most volatile
(odorous). The covers are also a moisture lock, keeping moisture in the active heap (typically lost to
evaporation during open windrows) and excess water out of the pile, which assists in leachate
control and overall water usage in the composting process. With these systems, we can process
material promptly and mitigate any variables, like pests and odors, that would draw unwanted
attention from surrounding neighbors and keep our process compliant with regulatory agencies.
The finished material is then tested with Midwest Lab’s Compost Plus test, testing for E.coli and
salmonella, and a germination test/germination vigor. Our finished compost is processed and
tested for class I compost for food production. Our compost meets the USCC STA Certified
Compost qualifications for compost maturity, per the Composting Consortium’s study. We then
screen our material using our TromALL 5800tr trommel screener (½” screen size) that has a
throughput of 80 cubic yards per hour. Sifted finished compost is sold to the community via
gardening and local agricultural outlets. Clients can pick up finished compost or have us deliver it
for a fee. We believe that regularly testing our compost and sharing the results with our clients is a
testament to our accountability and unwavering commitment to meeting and exceeding industry
standards.
Background
B. Pg 11
Summer (2023) Covered Heaps 1 & 2. Getting Heap 3 ready for tarp laying
Equipment List:
A. Bobcat S150 skid steer
B. CAT 908 M wheeled loader
C. Sustainable Generation GORE Cover Mobile ASP
units:
Four 100’x26’x10’
Two 50’x23’x10’
D. TrommALL 5800 tr trommel screener
E. 1996 Ford Super Duty box truck with lift gate
F. 2006 Chevy 2500 HD pickup truck
G. 10-yard dump trailer
2016 Chevy 2500 HD pickup truck (not pictured)
Background
B. Pg 12
A
B
C D
E
F&GE
Our current workload is set up to continue working with BSW seamlessly and help expand the
organics recycling program as it grows and manages the composting area at the Bozeman
Convenience Site. We have two full-time staff members who run all our residential and commercial
hauling, and HTC owners Ryan Green & Adrienne Huckabone manage the site and processing of
feedstocks. Over the last three years of working with BSW, we have dedicated significant time and
capital to setting up efficient systems for processing large volumes of incoming organic material.
As mentioned above in our response to the “experience” and “firm background” section of the
RFQ, HTC is currently in a three-year contract with Montana State University to oversee the
collection and processing of their food scraps. In addition to hauling 18 cubic yards (18,000
pounds) for MSU weekly, we are also diverting an additional 45 cubic yards of material from our
residential and commercial customers weekly. Our systems for collecting, dumping, and processing
incoming food scraps have been streamlined over the last 8 years to require little management
and labor.
Key personnel currently involved and will continue to manage the composting operation at the
Bozeman Convenience Site are owners Ryan Green & Adrienne Huckabone. We have worked
extensively with BSW staff over the last 3 years to improve the composting site layout and workflow
by removing old, finished compost and material irrelevant to the active composting process. With
coordination to remove unnecessary materials, we have installed 4 x 100-foot & 2 x 50 GORE
Cover Mobile ASP (CASP) systems to create a site plan that focuses on accepting large loads of
material and effectively processing the material as it enters the site. Incoming material is dumped
on an asphalt pad at the western entrance to the composting site. Material is blended with
carbon, as needed, and moisture is added. We then move the homogenized feedstock to one of
the active ASP systems, where a heap of 400-500 cubic yards is built out in a matter of 3 days.
Once the heap is complete, we set parameters in our mobile app to control forced aeration of the
GORE Cover Mobile ASP unit from Sustainable Generation. Once the material is processed on the
pipe for 8 weeks, we coordinate with BSW staff to schedule 30-yard roll-offs to take the
composted material to the west end of the Convenience site for storage/curing (if needed).
We currently run four 100-foot-long windrow systems that can hold 400-500 cubic yards of
material and two 50-foot systems that hold 250 c.y. With these six CASP systems in place, we can
continuously compost 11,600 cubic yards annually through a staggered 8-10-week schedule. In
addition to our current systems underway, we have a 5th system on site ready to be set up, adding
2,250 c.y. of processing capacity annually. This will further help with the city’s expansion plans.
Utilizing our CASP systems and experience processing large volumes of organic material, we
can meet the processing time requirements outlined in the RFQ (established by us over the last 3
years of working on the composting project with Bozeman Solid Waste) with one hundred percent
confidence. There would be no lag time for our company to set up and establish new systems or
install new technology on the site, as we have done this over the last 3 years. This would allow for
the continued workflow of our current program to move forward in processing material on behalf
of BSW without interruption.
Workload
C. Pg 13
We know that BSW's projected volume increase will affect workload, personnel, and equipment
requirements. In anticipation of this, we are prepared for the timelines and associated investments
involved. We are confident in our ability to plan accordingly, ensuring that we can scale up our
operations to accommodate the city's expansion in the long run. We have a comprehensive
understanding of the footprint, timeline, and data associated with our systems, and this expansion
further strengthens our ability to plan and execute effectively for scalable growth.
While our current 8-week processing time is the standard we currently use to create a high-
quality and stable finished product (class I), our process timelines are flexible when utilizing our
CASP systems. If the project or market goals change, we can shorten our active composting
timeline to as little as 21 days to create an ag grade (class II or III) that still hits PFRP. The systems
we use our mobile, which gives us the ability to easily reconfigure and add additional systems to
meet the increased workload of the projected pilot project.
We are here to help BSW achieve its goals and create a more sustainable waste management
program for our community. We are committed to prioritizing this working relationship while
supporting BSW as they expand their workload by increasing diversion through the year-round
curbside organics program that will include food scraps. We believe that adding food scraps into
BSW’s current organics stream will only benefit the current composting process by adding high-
quality, nitrogen-rich components to the feedstock.
Workload
C. Pg 14
(Left) Adrienne resetting pipes on our 100-foot CASP system (Right) Adrienne building out an active heap
January 2024
Claims
D. Pg 15
Claims:
Our firm has not assessed or paid liquidated damages after the completion of a project under a
contract with a public owner
References & Letters of support
E. Pg 16
References :
EJ Hook - Director, Facilities Services at Montana State University
Phone: (406) 994-7840
E-mail: edward.hook1@montana.edu
Mary Stein - Program Leader: Sustainable Food & Bioenergy Systems at MSU
Phone: (406) 570-8913
Email: mary.stein@montana.edu
Bonnie Hickey - Director of Sustainability at Bridger Bowl
Phone: (406) 589-4850
Email: bhickey@bridgerbowl.com
Paula Luu - Senior Project Director, Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop
Partners
Phone: (408)497-3380
Email: paula@closedlooppartners.com
Paula Luu
Senior Project Director, Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners
paula@closedlooppartners.com
To Whom It May Concern,
I enthusiastically submit this letter of recommendation for Ryan Green and Adrienne Huckabone of Happy
Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC’s nomination to support the city of Bozeman Solid Waste Division with
Processing Services for the Sustainable Organics Management Program.
Ryan and Adrienne’s dedication to driving system-wide solutions for the organics industry is showcased by
their commitment to join the Composting Consortium; a multi-year, pre-competitive collaboration that brings
together consumer brands, composters, packaging manufacturers, and environmental NGOs to support the
scale up of composting infrastructure for the recovery of food scraps and food-contact compostable
packaging in the United States.
Following a nation-wide search in Fall 2022, the Composting Consortium selected Happy Trash Can to join two
in-field studies – our Compostable Packaging Disintegration Pilot, the largest in U.S. history, and our
Contamination Pilot, the first contamination study of its kind conducted at 10 composting facilities across the
country. Throughout the duration of both projects, their collaboration with diverse stakeholders and
commitment to data transparency for the industry has rung clear. Their active involvement in both initiatives
stand as a testament to their ability to work cross-industry towards sustainable outcomes, showcasing
relentless commitment to systems change and achieving a more sustainable future for organics.
After several months of data collection and collaboration with Ryan and Adrienne, and a site visit to Bozeman
this summer, we know them to be reliable and outstanding commercial composters. More specifically:
• They are highly adept at processing complex post-residential and commercial organic streams with
high volumes of compostable packaging;
• Despite receiving some contamination in their feedstock, they are able to create a clean, high-quality
finished product with 0% contamination by volume;
• They demonstrate an impressive 99% implied contamination removal rate, from feedstock to finished
product;
• They represent best-in-class operations, demonstrating C:N ratios, moisture levels and temperatures
that are consistent with the compost operating standards outlined by The Composting Handbook.
Ryan and Adrienne’s collaboration, enthusiasm, and tenured compost manufacturing experience extends
beyond their own organization. Additionally, we’ve observed in real time their commitment to the Bozeman
community through relentless education and outreach efforts around composting and the collection of food
waste and compostable packaging.
Should you require further information or insights regarding Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC’s
qualifications and contributions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Warm regards,
E. Pg 17
Mary Stein
Program Leader (retired), Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems Program
Montana State University
February 27, 2024
City of Bozeman
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771-1230
To whom it may concern,
I’m writing to express my support for Happy Trash Can’s proposal to provide processing services
for the City of Bozeman’s Sustainable Organics Management Program. Happy Trash Can has a
proven track record of exceptional technical expertise, successful partnerships, and unwavering
commitment to community sustainability efforts.
With an impressive list of technical qualifications, Happy Trash Can is well-positioned for
success in this role. They are a leader in the rapidly expanding community composting effort
with state-of-the-art technologies and a smart and far-reaching business model. The owners of
Happy Trash Can have the knowledge and experience to continue leading with innovative
solutions around organic waste management.
Happy Trash Can has established strong partnerships as their business has grown in the
community. Most notably, they have a proven track record with successful partnerships with
both the City of Bozeman and Montana State University. They collaborate seamlessly, offering
not only their critical operations and technical services, but also willingly participate in
community outreach and education to advance awareness about sustainable organics
management solutions.
Happy Trash Can is deeply rooted in this community and has become an integral part of
Bozeman’s commitment to sustainability. They actively support individual residents,
businesses, agricultural producers, non-profit organizations, and public institutions through
their excellent composting services. I am confident that Happy Trash Can’s involvement with
significantly contribute to the success and positive impact of the City of Bozeman’s Sustainable
Organics Management Program.
Sincerely,
Mary Stein
E. Pg 18
Nondiscrimination & Equal Pay Affirmation
Pg 19
Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC
Happy Trash Can Curbside Composting LLC
Ryan Green - Owner/operator