Speakers

Presenters and Workshops

The NRC Recycling Congress Committee is proud to start announcing our 2023 congress speakers! This year’s theme, Together We Are Recycling, brings together high-level keynote speakers and roll-up-your-sleeves sessions that you can take back and implement.

At the 2023 Recycling Congress, you will hear from:

Jonathan Black is the Senior Director for Chemical Safety and Plastic Pollution Prevention at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a component of the Executive Office of the President. He previously served as a Special Assistant to the President & Senate Legislative Liaison from January, 2021 to October, 2022 where he worked on some of President Biden’s signature legislative achievements, like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Elizabeth “Nena” Shaw, Director of the Resource Conservation and Sustainability Division at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will share exciting national updates about partnerships, funding, and policy.

Leslie Lukacs, president of the NRC board of directors, will discuss the state of the organization and upcoming activities for the NRC. She will also lead the annual members meeting.

Heidi Sanborn and Jordan Wells from the National Stewardship Action Council will present a call to action for us all and the latest in the California Circular Economy, EPR bill, single use plastics, cannabis, tobacco and vape industry, plastic mandates, national bottle bills, and PFAS.

Scott Defife of the National Glass Recycling Foundation will update us on the glass industry: renewability, circular, and sustainable functionality of glass recycling.

Zeynep Çelikel is an Adviser in the Human Rights & Humanitarian Team in the Office of the President of the 77th session of the General Assembly. She will talk about establishing the UN International Day of Zero Waste, which recognizes the universal right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Steven Stone of the United Nations Environment Programme presents Turning Off The Tap: Plastic pollution could be slashed by 80% by 2040 if countries and companies use existing technologies to make significant policy shifts and market adjustments.

Laurie Johnson is the Director for the new Circular Economy Development Center in Colorado and founder and CEO of Circular Colorado, a nonprofit working on waste diversion and end market creation. She guides us through how different sectors of our industries fit in circular economy models.

More announcements coming soon about…

Environmental justice
Local government communications
Skill building for state recycling organizations
Monetizing the social effects for recycling
Food service reuse
The silver lining of China’s Operation National Sword
Awards ceremony recognizing our stand-out members

Speakers and Presentations covering the following topics will be announced soon!

How NRC can support your success (tools, resources, library, relationships, etc.)

Programs and implementation: replicable ideas and improvements on existing programs

National, state, and local policy

Replicable legislation and tools
National Recycling Strategy and federal legislation
NRC policy https://nrcrecycles.org/nrc-home/policy/
Federal grants: Background, applying, implementation, and reporting

Collaboration and partnership opportunities for learning and improving

Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
Nonprofit and public management/administration
Net zero emissions and decarbonization
Sustainability, circular economy, and zero waste
Confidence in recycling, organics and composting
Industry technology and chemical recycling

Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Registration is open!

Sponsorship opportunities are available!

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Latest News and Updates

NRC Recycling Congress

PO Box 314

1151 Eagle Drive

Loveland, CO 80537

[email protected]

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