National Nonprofits Scale Packaging EPR Implementation Working Group Nationwide, Release Circular Economy Policy Guide

Marking over 10 years of impact, the National Stewardship Action Council, and Stewardship Action Foundation scale their proven SB 54 Working Group model nationally while releasing a new guide for U.S. policymakers  

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  (Feb. 12, 2026) — The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) today released a new Circular Economy Policy Guide and, together with the Stewardship Action Foundation (SAF), officially announced the national expansion of their Packaging / Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Implementation Working Group. The effort builds on the proven success of California’s SB 54 Working Group and coincides with NSAC’s tenth anniversary, marking a decade of impact and advancing circular-economy policy across the United States. 

With more than 200 active participants representing over 100 organizations from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, the working group has been instrumental in advancing implementation of California’s landmark SB 54 law, which once fully implemented will be the largest packaging EPR program in the world. As part of the Working Group, members track regulatory developments in real time, surface risks early, and build a shared understanding of what packaging EPR looks like in practice. 

“From the introduction of SB 54 through its negotiation, passage, and rulemaking, we’ve been fully committed to advancing California’s EPR program with integrity and intent as California’s program will be the largest in the world when implemented,” said Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director/CEO of NSAC and SAF. “As more states advance and implement packaging EPR, interest holders need guidance on how these systems work in the real world. This national expansion creates a space to learn across states in real time and improve outcomes that the environmental, economic, and public-health benefits they were designed to achieve.” 

Now NSAC and SAF are scaling their proven model to a national stage as packaging EPR laws move forward in Oregon, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Maryland, and Washington, while continuing to see California through to full success.  

"Once SB 54 passed, so many of us were looking at each other thinking, 'wow, now what? We have to figure out how to make this thing work. And that's where the SB 54 Implementation Group has been so valuable,” said Caroline DeLoach, Director of Sustainability at Atlantic Packaging and a participant in the now national working group. “This diverse group of stakeholders from across the supply chain, non-profits, jurisdictions, and more have closely watched and informed each milestone, including pressure-testing each draft of the regulations, to make sure that the rollout of SB 54 maintains the spirit and goals of the statute. I'm so grateful we've had this group to share ideas and opinions to make EPR work not only in California, but in the other emerging states, too." 

In addition to expanding the packaging working group, NSAC released a new guide, Designing What Works: From Policy to Practice in America’s Circular Economy offers practical guidance for policymakers and interest holders seeking solutions that work, including: 

• Policy design principles that prioritize public health and essential worker safety 

• Lessons from real-world stewardship programs across the U.S. 

• Implementation considerations for markets, infrastructure, compliance, and enforcement 

• Strategies that strengthen domestic end markets and resilient supply chains 

• Tools for engaging stakeholders and sustaining progress over time 

The guide reflects NSAC’s experience advancing circular economy polices across their full lifecycle from drafting and negotiation through rulemaking and implementation and outlines the policy tools, design principles, and implementation considerations that help deliver real-world results for companies, governments, American workers, and communities.  

Policy areas addressed in the guide include packaging, deposit return systems, household hazardous waste, sharps/medical waste, and textiles and carpet.  

NSAC and SAF convene trusted, pre-competitive working groups where interest holders engage early, share lessons, surface risks, and shape policies and solutions that work in the real world. 

“Publishing this guide reflects our work to scale evidence-based policies and solutions that are rooted in on-the-ground experience and work,” said Heath Nettles, Deputy Director of NSAC and SAF. “Our national working groups are where the people shaping these systems get ahead of what’s coming, understanding what it means for them, surfacing risks early, and preparing together before decisions are locked in.” 

That working group value is already evident with California’s SB 54. CalRecycle has revised its proposed regulations, with particular focus on food and agricultural packaging, and has reopened a shortened public comment period on the updated draft. As outlined in NSAC’s recent statement on the revised regulations, exclusions for food and agricultural packaging have been a key concern raised through formal comment letters and testimony and one that participants have continued to unpack in real time through the SB 54 Working Group.  

“This is what it looks like to be in front of and collaboratively shape change, not chase it,” Nettles said. “Our national working groups are where the people shaping these systems see what’s coming, understand what it means for them, and influence how it unfolds before the rules are set and the doors close.”  

As NSAC and SAF scale the SB 54 Working Group into a National Packaging / EPR Implementation Working Group, these are the conversations that will determine whether packaging EPR succeeds across the country. 

To download NSAC’s complimentary Circular Economy Policy Guide: Designing What Works: From Policy to Practice in America’s Circular Economy, visit nsaction.us/circular-economy-policy-guide. To learn more and get involved in NSAC and SAF’s national working groups, including the National Packaging / EPR Implementation Working Group, visit nsaction.us/working-groups. 

About the National Stewardship Action Council  

The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) is a 501(c)(4) national nonprofit organization driving policy solutions for a circular economy.  

For over a decade, NSAC has advanced landmark policies that unlock the economic and environmental value of waste as a resource. Working alongside nearly 50 member organizations and a nationwide network of 2,700+ individuals, NSAC convenes national working groups covering packaging, household hazardous waste, recycling refunds, textiles, boating flares and marine film, and illegal single-use print cartridges. These groups unite governments, businesses, nonprofits, and communities to design and implement effective stewardship systems across the United States.  

About the Stewardship Action Foundation  

Now its fifth year, the Stewardship Action Foundation (SAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing a responsible circular economy through education, outreach, and partnerships. While the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) leads advocacy and lobbying, SAF complements this work by focusing on public education, collaboration, and research to address environmental challenges and promote systemic change.  

With a nationwide network of partners including government agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector, SAF raises awareness of critical environmental issues and delivers solutions that keep materials in use, reduce pollution, and promote equity. Its programs highlight the importance of circular systems and community-centered solutions. Through webinars, research, and collaborative projects, SAF equips communities to address challenges such as plastic waste, toxic substances, and source reduction. 

Media Contact: Heath Nettles | heath@nsaction.us | 910-995-0759