BOARD MEMBERS

Kristina Miller

Chair

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City Manager

City of Corning

Corning, CA

Kristina's bio

Manuel Medrano

Vice Chair

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Environmental Services Manager

Chula Vista, CA

Manuel's bio

Tedd Ward

Treasurer

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Del Norte Solid Waste Mgt Authority

Crescent City, CA

Tedd's bio

Colleen Foster

Secretary

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Environmental Officer

Water Utilities Department

Oceanside, CA

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Justin Lehrer

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Senior Management Analyst

StopWaste

Oakland, CA

Justin's bio

Derek Crutchfield

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Recycling Coordinator

City of Vallejo

Vallejo, CA

Derek's bio

Steve Rodowick

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Recycling Coordinator

County of Butte

Oroville, CA

Steve's bio

Alexa Kielty

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Zero Waste Specialist

SF Dept of Environment

San Francisco, CA

Alexa's bio

Wes Nelson

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Sales & Marketing Manager

GreenWaste Carpet Recycling

San Jose, CA

Wes' bio

Amy Hammes

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Recycling Specialist

City of Burbank

Burbank, CA

Amy's bio

Chris Sheppard

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Senior Civil Engineer

County of LA

Dept. of Public Works

Los Angeles, CA

Chris' bio

STAFF

We are a diverse group of highly accomplished experts in our fields of practice. 

We are passionate about the work we do and the communities we serve.

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Doug Kobold

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Executive Director

Doug's bio

Connect on LinkedIn

Joanne Brasch, PhD

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Special Projects Manager

Joanne's bio

Connect on LinkedIn

Nate Pelczar, MPA

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Special Projects Manager

Nate's bio

Connect on LinkedIn

Kamryn Kubose, LEED GA

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Associate

Kamryn's bio

Connect on LinkedIn

ANNUAL REPORT

2019/20 Annual Report

2018/19 Annual Report

2017/18 Annual Report

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AWARDS

Arrow Awards

Overview

The California Product Stewardship Council recognizes California businesses for outstanding leadership, innovation and partnerships in product stewardship and green design. The Arrow Awards recognize innovative product stewardship programs, outstanding partnerships in product stewardship and serve to inspire organizations to integrate the principles of product stewardship.

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Learn more about current and previous awards!

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Eligibility

Any business entity (division or facility located in California), third party stewardship organizations and non‐profits are eligible to apply.

Award Recipient Benefits

• A custom-designed award made of recycled materials by Bay Area artist Ellen Blakeley presented at an evening awards event attended by more than 700 local and state government representatives, state legislators and industry representatives.

• Statewide media coverage

• Organization’s profile on CPSC’s Arrow Awards web page for one year

• Organization’s profile in CPSC’s electronic newsletter, distributed to more than 3,000 viewers

• Organization’s video (if submitted) uploaded to CPSC’s YouTube Channel

• Use of Arrow Awards medallion on organization’s public relations materials

• Ongoing promotion and support from CPSC

• A link from CPSC’s website to award recipients

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Award Categories

Overall Excellence Award:  The Golden Arrow Award for Overall Excellence in Product Stewardship

This award will be given to a company that demonstrates excellence in several aspects of product stewardship, including green design, toxics reduction, packaging reduction, increased reuse, repair, re-manufacture, convenient product take-back and end of life (EOL) management for one or more products.

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Note: Do not apply for this award. The Golden Arrow Award winner will be selected by the review panel from the applicants of the categories below. If you wish to be considered for the Golden Arrow Award, then ensure your application speaks to all three individual categories.

Green Arrow Award for System and Design Innovations

This award will be given to a company that demonstrates an innovative product, package or system-approach that removes or reduces toxic or other problematic attributes present in other similar products. Examples: citrus cleaners that replace petroleum solvents; refillable packaging vs. one-way disposable; integrated (cradle-to-cradle) approach to providing a product, i.e., prepaid mailer to return product to manufacturer for reuse or recycling.

The Bow and Arrow Award for Coalition Building

This award will be given to a company or group that has excelled in building partnerships and demonstrating the inter-dependence between producers, distributors, retailers, public agencies and other stakeholders. The award may recognize a producer, a group of producers, an industry or trade association, or a stewardship organization that works with public agencies, retailers or other stakeholders to deal with EOL issues.

The Infinity Arrow Award for Service and Take-Back

This award will recognize a retail business, group of businesses, or chain that has initiated an outstanding Take Back program for one or more product as an additional convenience and service to their customers, and works with the producers of those products in developing safe storage and recovery of EOL products and packages.

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Apply now for the 2021 Arrow Awards

The nominations will close July 1, 2021 at 5PM.

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Read more about current and previous

award winning companies. View pictures

from the ceremonies and see the press on

CPSC's arrow awards.

Pictured right: Golden Arrow Winner, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

showing their award accepted at a virtual ceremony in 2020.

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Legislative Awards

Overview

The California Product Stewardship Council recognizes California legislators for outstanding leadership, innovative solutions, and development of strategic partnerships in regards to statewide policies on product stewardship and green design. Read more about current and previous award winning legislators.

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Associate/Sponsor of the Year Awards

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Overview

The California Product Stewardship Council recognizes associates and partners for outstanding leadership in their field, innovative solutions to longstanding issues, and effective partnership in regards to product stewardship and green design in California. Read more about current and previous award winning local governments and sponsors.

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PRESS FEATURING CPSC​​

• Huntington Beach marine flare safety; Resident coupon for reusable alternative- Huntington Beach News, 7/20/21

• Crown Ace Hardware hosts special propane cylinder giveaway- Huntington Beach News, 7/19/21

• Eco-tip: Options slim for treated wood disposal, solutions needed from state- VC Star, 7/3/21

• Aquafil Carpet Recycling Facility: Tour and Interview Hosted by CPSC- CPSC, May 2021

• The Morning Show featuring Dr. Joanne Brasch- KSVY 91.3 FM Sonoma Valley, 5/6/21

• Sustainability Blog: And the fastest-growing waste stream is...-City of Thousand Oaks, April 2021

• Fibershed Solutions to Microplastic Problems: Why textiles need to be at the core of California's action on microplastics- Fibershed, 4/15/21

• California successfully installs 250 medication disposal bins across state- Waste Today Magazine, 4/9/21

• California Product Stewardship Council Battery Fire Report 2021- Waste Advantage Magazine, 3/24/21

• What's the Latest Research on Synthetic Microfiber Pollution from Fashion?- EcoCult, 3/22/21

• Eye on the Environment | Unintended consequences from light bulb ban?- VC Reporter, 3/18/21

• Waste, Reuse and Recycling - Dissecting Current Market Trends and Legislation on Recycling, Producer Responsibility, and How Reuse and Recycling Conserves Resources- KSQD 90.7 Santa Cruz, 3/10/21

• Waste360 Announces 2021 40 Under 40 Awards Winners- Waste360, 3/4/21

• Conscious couture: How Lowell students can make a difference with what they wear- The Lowell, 2/17/21

• End-of-life regulation is coming for fashion- Vogue Business, 2/4/21

• Eye on the Environment | How Much Wood Would You Chuck at $500 Per Ton?- VC Reporter, 12/23/20

• Extended Producer Responsibility and Unique Waste Streams- SWANA NorCal Webinar, 12/12/20

• Why today's 'fast fashions' can be bad for the planet- Science News for Students, 12/10/20

• Eco-tip: How would you treat treated wood? Relaxed rules expire next month- VC Star, 11/14/20

• Clearing the air by tracking toxics and chemicals- The Acorn, 11/12/20

• Eye on the Environment | Tracking Toxins and Talking Transitions- VC Reporter, 10/28/20

• Priority Product Survey Results 2020- CPSC, 10/21/20

• Eco-tip: When the state stopped playing a 'high-stakes game of chemical whack-a-mole'- VC Star, 10/17/20

• California Ramps Up Consumer Drug Takeback Program with Help- Waste360, 9/23/20

• It's Time to Invest In Our Clothing: Clothing Repair, Reuse, & Repurposing Are No Longer An Option, But A Necessity- AATCC, 9/10/20

• LED marine flare company wins waste reduction award in California- The Log, 9/5/20

• California legislature passes recycled content mandate, EPR bills stall for a second year in a row- Waste Dive, 9/1/20

• CPSC Executive Director Doug Kobold to Discuss Waste, Climate Change, and Arrow Awards- KZFR 90.1 Chico, 8/25/20

• LED Marine Flare Company Wins Coveted Waste Reduction Award in California- Cision PRWeb, 8/25/20

• Several California Companies Working Together to Solve the Waste Crisis Through Innovative Business Models- Waste Today, 8/19/20

• California's Top Companies Recognized for Product Stewardship and Green Job Creation- Recycling Product News, 8/18/20

• Sirius Signal to Receive the Green Arrow Award from the California Product Stewardship Council- Sirius Signal, 8/8/20

• Sen. Patricia Bates Applauds Expansion of California Drug Take-Back Program - Orange County Breeze, 8/5/20

• Medication Take-Back Bins Installed at Pasadena Vons Locations - PasadenaNow.com, 8/5/20

• Solar Panel Recycling Research from the Counties of Butte and San Mateo and the City of Santa Monica - IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference, 6/18/20 and supporting 5-minute video

• Class Is In Session- Sportswear International, 4/14/20

• California Pushes for Solar Panel Waste Policy- Waste360, 3/31/20

• To combat opioid crisis, California Take-Back drugs program available for Pass area- Record Gazette, 2/5/20

• Medicine disposal bins now available- Del Norte Triplicate, 1/30/20

• Fashion has a misinformation problem. That's bad for the environment- Vox, 1/27/20

• California PFAS priority product proposal sparks discord- ChemicalWatch, 1/22/20

• Waste Connections cities batteries in trash, recycling fires- The Columbian, 11/21/19

• Sustainable Textiles in the Fashion Industry- Waste Advantage Magazine, 11/4/19

• Life In Plastic: California's Recycling Woes- KCET Socal Connected, 10/15/19

• The Power & Influence Behind the World of Recycling- KCET Socal Connected, 10/15/19

• Smarter Scoring scores $17M to reduce chemical waste- Austin Business Journal, 9/23/19

• Single-Use Packaging Proposal on Pause in California- resource-recycling.com, 9/17/19

• Short circuiting the circular economy- resource-recycling.com, 9/1/19

• Drug Disposal Bins Coming to California- drugtopics.com, 8/27/19

• Dispose of unused medications properly- Recordnet.com, 8/1/19

• Pot Stickler- PacificSun, 7/10/19

• Good News for Cities: Producer-Paid Medication and Needle Collection Is Coming- Western Cities, 7/1/19

• Why a California lawmaker wants to ban cigarette filters and disposable vapes- CalMatters, 6/25/19

• California Product Stewardship Council lauds Canadian government initiative on plastics- Recycling Product News, 6/18/19

• Panels Be Gone- Chico News and Review, 6/13/19​

• New global sustainability standard for solar modules in the works- PV Magazine, 6/4/19

• Protecting Butte County Together- Chico News and Review, 5/23/19

• NorCal Officials Discuss Drug Take-Back- KCRA 3 News, 4/26/19

• National Drug Take-Back Day Gives Area Residents a Chance to Drop-Off  Unused Old Drugs- Stockton Record, 4/27/19

• Eco-tip Batteries Not Included In Your Garbage Can or Recycling Cart- vcstar.com, 4/17/19

• California Readies for Statewide Extended Producer Responsibility for Pharma Waste- Lexology, 4/4/19​

• Drug Take-Back Program Goes Statewide- SF Estuary Institute, 1/7/19

• Recyclable plastic is ending up in landfills- ABC 7 News, 12/6/18

• California State Senator Considers Himself a Pharmacist First, pharmacyschool.usc.edu- 10/31/18

• California Product Stewardship Council Crusader Plans to Go National to Impact Change- Waste 360, 10/25/18

• California Signs Drug and Needle Take Bake Program into Law- Waste 360, 10/1/18

• Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson SB 212 Press Release- Senator Jackson, 9/30/18

• Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf To Welcome State Conference On Waste Reduction- Oakland News Now, 7/26/18

• Texas technology company recognized by California Product Stewardship Council- Waste Advantage, 7/26/18

• 2018 Arrow Awards Press Release- CPSC, 7/25/18

• States’ Waste Paint Problem Becomes a Solution for Recyclers, Retailers- Waste 360, 7/5/18

• Combatting the opioid crisis with drug takeback programs- Tim Goncharoff, American Public Works Association Reporter, March 2018

• We All Pay For E-Commerce’s Cardboard Problem- Forbes, 1/10/18

• Recycle Centers Overwhelmed with Boxes after Online Holiday Shopping- CBS News, 1/3/18

• Focusing on Safe Disposal of Sharps and Pharmaceutical Waste- Heidi Sanborn, Akin Babatola & Debbie Raphael, Western City Magazine, October 2017

• California pushes carpet industry to recycle- Jeff VonKaenel, Sacramento News and Review, 7/20/17

• Swept under the rug: After forming California’s carpet recycling program, industry prevents it from spreading nationwide- Michael Mott, Sacramento News and Review, 7/20/17

• All That Online Shopping Has Cardboard Consequences- Chiara Sottile and Jo Ling Kent, NBC News 6/18/17

• The Truth About Meal-Kit Freezer Packs- Kiera Butler, Mother Jones, 6/4/17

• Blame ‘Amazon Effect’ for Proposed Bump in S.F. Garbage Bills- Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/24/17

• Why Hundreds Dropped Off Unwanted Pills in Nationwide Event- KCRA 3 News, 5/5/17

• The New Refillable 1 lb. Propane Cylinders: Sparking the Paradigm Shift Away from Disposables- Heidi Sanborn and Jordan Wells, Waste Advantage Magazine, 4/27/17

• State Agency Critical of Carpet Industry’s Failed Recycling Program- CBS SF, 12/20/17

• Pharma loses one batter over drug take-back programs, but wins another- Ed Silverman, STAT News, 6/16/16

• LA County supes set aside drug take-back proposal, for now- Stephanie O’Neill and Paul Glickman, 6/14/16

• LA County Supervisors set — again — to vote on drug take-back ordinance- Stephanie O’Neill, Southern California Public Radio, 6/13/16

• Five Bay Area Counties Urge State Board to Allow Safe Drug Disposal Programs- San Francisco Department of the Environment Press Release, 6/2/16

• Campers and Tailgaters: U-Haul Introduces Refillable 1-LB Propane Cylinders in California- U-Haul Press Release, 6/2/16

• How And Where To Dump Your Leftover Drugs — Responsibly- Emily Bazar, California Healthline, 5/27/16

• Dangerous prescription drug battle plan for LA County: Let’s put it off- Hoa Quach, MyNewsLA.com, 5/17/16

• LA Times Column Covers LA County Proposed EPR Ordinance- California Inc., David Lazarus, 5/16/16

• Vote on LA County drug take-back proposal delayed again- Stephanie O’Neill, Southern California Public Radio, 5/16/16

• Big Pharma Under Pressure to Pay For Drug Take-Back Programs- Sy Mukherjee, Fortune, 4/30/16

• Proposed LA County Law Would Make Pharma Pay for Drug, Sharps Disposal- Stephanie O’Neill, Southern California Public Radio, 4/22/16

• Shareholders Challenge Pharmaceutical Industry To Take Back Unused Drugs- As You Sow Press Release, 4/22/16

• OP/ED: The Truth About Costs of the LA County Drug Take-Back Ordinance- Arthur J. Shartsis and Heidi Sanborn, Los Cerritos News, 4/20/16

• What to do with old prescription drugs? Four O.C. Walgreens will be take-back sites for medications- Jenna Chandler, Orange County Register, 2/22/16

• Safe and Convenient Medicine Collection is Good Medicine for LA County- Op-Ed by Heidi Sanborn, Los Cerritos News, 2/12/16

• Drug Disposal Bins Welcome Tool in Opioid Fight- Sacramento Bee Editorial, 2/11/16

• Walgreens Leads Fight Against Prescription Drug Abuse with New Programs to Help Curb Misuse of Medications and the Rise in Overdose Deaths- Walgreens Press Release, 2/9/16

• Groups Urge FDA To End Medication Flushing Advice- InsideEPA, 1/26/16

• California Product Stewardship Council and Others Urge Federal Agencies to Revise Recommendations for Safe Medicine Disposal- California Product Stewardship Council Press Release, 1/26/16

• Educating Patients About Sharps Disposal- Medical Board of California Winter Newsletter 2016 (article on page 11 of PDF)

• Extended Producer Responsibility: Protecting Public Health and the Environment- Jen Jackson and Heidi Sanborn, Western City Magazine, January 2016

• Don’t Flush Those Meds! City of Folsom Police Department Announces New Medicine Collection Bin- The Folsom Insider, 12/17/15

• Medicine Collection Bin Available at Folsom Police Department- Kathy Locke, Sacramento Bee, 12/16/15

• Folsom Police Department Announces New Medicine Collection Bin to Help Make Homes Safer for Children, Teens, and Pets- Don’t Rush to Flush, Meds in the Bin We All Win! Press Release, 12/16/15

• California Wins Big Against Big Pharma: Organization Hopes Other States Follow the Lead- Addiction Campuses, 10/29/15

• Santa Clara County Receives Eight New Medication Disposal Bins to Protect the Environment and Public Health- Don’t Rush to Flush, Meds in the Bin We All Win! Press Release, 10/1/15

• NEW ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION LAUNCHES! National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) Forms to Promote a Circular Economy Through Producer Responsibility Press Release- NSAC, 9/25/15

• The Challenges of Implementing EPR- Heidi Sanborn, Recycling Product News, September 2015

• California Adds Fourth R – Refill – to Keep Propane Tanks Out of the Trash- Elizabeth McGowan, 8/24/15

• Supreme Court Upholds the Alameda Ordinance that Producers Share in Responsibility for Product Waste: What Does That Mean for the Waste Industry?- Heidi Sanborn, Waste Advantage Magazine, August 2015

• The Evolution of EPR for Packaging in the US- Matt Prindiville and Heidi Sanborn, PAC NEXT EPR Updates: Canada, USA, & Europe, Summer 2015

• Arrow Award Leads to Collaboration and Development of Innovative and Green Household Hazardous Waste Collection Containers for Home Use!- Waste Advantage Magazine, 6/29/15

• Producers Should Share in Responsibility for Product Waste to Prevent Water Pollution– Heidi Sanborn, Southern California Alliance of Publicly Owned Treatment Works (SCAP) June 2015 Monthly Update

• Waking Up to Mattress Recycling- Roger Guttentag, Resource Recycling Magazine, June 2015

• Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal on California Pharmaceutical EPR Law- Allan Gerlat, Waste 360, 5/29/15

• Supreme Court Will Not Review Alameda’s Drug Disposal Law- Scott Shafer, KQED News State of Health, 5/26/15

• Too Much Garbage in Gotham- Waste360

• Challenged in Court, Killed in Legislature, Drug Take-Back Taking Root in Counties- George Lauer, California Healthline, 3/30/15

• Extended Producer Responsibility: An Opportunity, Not a Threat- John Skinner, Ph.D., SWANA Executive Director and CEO, 3/12/15

• Should Pharmaceutical Companies Pay for Local Drug Take-Back Programs?- Go Green Radio episode, 3/6/15

• Creating Safe Medicine Disposal Options- Op Ed by London Breed, San Francisco Examiner, 2/25/15

• Prescription Drugs Are Polluting Our Waters- Carren Jao, KCET, 12/1/14

• What’s Up and What’s Next in the World EPR- Heidi Sanborn and Christine Flowers, Waste Advantage Magazine, October 2014