Tina Nguyen
Tina Nguyen holds a BA in Geography and Spanish from UC Santa Barbara and a Master’s in Sustainability from the University of Cape Town. Her journey into waste systems began during graduate school, where she piloted a composting program at a major surfing event—diverting 70% of the organic waste. Since then, she has worked with municipalities and businesses on waste reduction and recycling compliance, led outreach programs, and overseen zero-waste initiatives for a national restaurant chain. As EPR gains momentum in the U.S., Tina is especially passionate about helping companies move beyond downstream waste management to more strategic, upstream action—optimizing product and packaging systems, reducing compliance risks, and contributing meaningfully to the circular economy.
Tuesday Dec 8
Joint Government Relations and Sustainability & Product Stewardship Council Special Session | EPR Focus
One of the most significant expansions of the U.S. recycling system in decades is underway, with packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws enacted in seven states.
This session will begin with a fireside chat featuring Paul Nowak, Executive Director of GreenBlue, the environmental nonprofit behind initiatives such as the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and How2Recycle. Drawing on his extensive experience, Paul will explore how evolving sustainable packaging policies are reshaping business practices; the critical role of consumer behavior in achieving recycling goals; and opportunities for industry collaboration to drive material innovation, strengthen consumer engagement, and address emerging cost challenges.
Moderator:
Molly Blessing, Vice President, Sustainability & Product Stewardship, HCPA
Speaker:
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
The second half of the session will feature a panel discussion moderated by Reverse Logistics Group (RLG), bringing together industry representatives to examine the practical implications of packaging EPR implementation. Panelists will discuss strategies for integrating EPR into business operations, leveraging packaging data to inform decision making, evaluating investments in innovative packaging solutions, and engaging consumers to support successful implementation.
Moderator:
Tina Nguyen, Business Development Manager, RLG
Speakers:
Rebecca Kaufold, Manager of Government Affairs & Sustainability, Spartan Chemical Company
Meghan Lieb, Vice President, Global Research & Development, WD-40
Mary Ellen Roddy, Vice President, Corporate Regulatory, PLZ Corp