2026 Annual Conference
A third YEAR OF MBA, a century of milorganite
On June 9th, 2026 the Midwest Biosolids Association hosted its third Annual Conference at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI. The conference was a huge success with approximately 110 attendees. We had another engaging lineup of speakers with a focus on celebrating the 100th anniversary of Milorganite:
- Session 1 covered updates on biosolids regulation and research.
- Session 2 shared information on the Biosolids Risk Assessment and other PFAS related topics.
- Session 3 celebrated the history of Milorganite and hosted a regulatory panel with regulatory leaders from Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana, who shared their insights on biosolids topics from their states. WRF also shared information on ongoing and upcoming research projects.
- Session 4 highlighted student posters and their research topics as well as a couple of presentations on treating biogas and air emissions.
The pre-conference reception, held at the Harley-Davidson Museum, was fun and causal with 75 attendees. It included a movie screening of “Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong" a buddy comedy about poop and the thankless pursuit of making a better world. The success of the conference is owed to all the attendees, speakers, and the hard work of the following:
- Dr. John Norton, Jr., Conference Chair, who tirelessly organized the event for a third year.
- The various sponsors who contributed far beyond just sponsoring the event, food, and refreshments.
- The presenters who offered engaging and informative presentations to the attendees.
- The student poster presenters who had a strong representation in the MBA's second poster competition.
- Matt Magruder, local host, who organized the wonderful tour.
The MBA Board of Directors and the Conference Chair especially appreciate the work of everyone, including the attendees, for making this a tremendous success showing the incredible care for the sustainable management of biosolids. Thank you to all who helped make the third annual conference a great success!
Photo Gallery
PRESENTATIONS
Session 1 Presentations
Welcome to the Renaissance of Milwaukee's Watersheds
Kevin Shafer, Executive Director, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Understanding and Managing Potential Liability For PFAS In Biosolids
Dave Strifling, Marquette University
Federal update on biosolids and other clean water priorities
Emily Remmel, National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)
research to stay connected, curious, and ahead of the game
Patrick McNamara, PhD, PE, Marquette University
Session 2 Presentations
multiple benefits of thermal oxidizers at wastewater treatment plants
Kati Bell, PhD, PE, BCEE, Hazen and Sawyer
Keynote Speaker
anaerobic co-digestion on department of war installations: increasing energy security?
Andrew R. Pfluger, Ph.D., PE, BCEE, ENV Sp, Carollo Engineering
Session 3 Presentations
REgulator-biosolids stake holders engagement
Sarah Campbell, MI Dept. of Environmental, Great Lakes, & Energy
Brenda Stephanoff, IN Dept. of Environmental Management
Betsy Sheerin, OH Environmental, Protection Agency
Nate Willis, WI Dept. of Natural Resources
celebrating 100 years of Milorganite®: a brief history and look to the future
Matt Magruder/Jaime Staufienbiel, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
wrf solids management projects: ongoing and upcoming research
Maitreyi Nagarkar, Water Research Foundation
reconfiguring anaerobic digestion for cost, risk, and regulatory resilience
Mohammed Abu-Orf, PhD, Hazen and Sawyer
Session 4 Presentations
students tracking pfas in soil and plants following short and long-term biosolids land application
Xucheng, Hu, PhD, The Ohio State University
biosolids drying reduces pfas concentrations in solids, reveals pfas in condensate
Jessie Calteux, Marquette University
machine learning insights into methane inhibition caused by quaternary ammonium compounds (QACS) in anaerobic digestion
Zihao Lu, Marquette University
GHGs and rng: greenhouse gas emissions of fond du lac wtrrf's biogas to rng project
Tyler Dougherty, Carollo Engineering
wastewater solids incineration abroad - what can we learn from other countries?
Lloyd Winchell, Brown and Caldwell
Thanks to this Year's Conference Sponsors