Strong, Fair, and Faithful: Heidi Sanborn Joined Capitol Leaders to Defend SB 54

From negotiation to implementation, NSAC defended the statute as written as Heidi Sanborn made the business case for strong SB 54 rules that protect consumers, fair markets, jobs and fuel national EPR momentum

California lawmakers, students, and environmental and business leaders gathered at Capitol Park on August 19, 2025 to urge CalRecycle to implement SB 54 as written—honoring the democratic process, protecting fair markets, and delivering economic value for Californians.  

“SB 54 is the product of a democratic, multi-stakeholder negotiation that I was a part of,” said Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director of the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC). “The Legislature spoke. Our job now is simple: honor the deal and implement the statute as written—no broad carve-outs and no false solutions.” 

Sanborn spoke alongside legislative champions and partner organizations, underscoring NSAC’s leadership from negotiation to implementation, and closed the media conference following remarks by SB 54 legislative champions—Senator Ben Allen; Senator Catherine Blakespear; Assemblymember Gregg Hart; Assemblymember Isaac Bryan; with additional participation from Assemblymembers Dawn Addis and Steve Bennett.  

“Here’s the business case for California: Clear rules reduce risk and compliance costs, protect market integrity, and reward better packaging design—that’s how you attract capital and scale solutions,” said Sanborn. 

For deeper context on the fairness and economic impacts behind SB 54, read our post, Who Pays for Waste—and Whose Costs Matter Most? Why California’s SB 54 Must Succeed. 

Watch Heidi and Legislators Speak at the Capitol

Watch NSAC's Heidi Sanborn and SB 54 supports speak at the capital on August 19.

Thank You for Signing our Letter to Gov. Newsom 

Thank you to NSAC’s SB 54 Working Group and to our many members, partners, and allies who added their names and organizations to our sign-on letter urging faithful implementation of SB 54.  Your leadership amplified a clear message to the Newsom administration and reinforced the case for fair, consistent rules that businesses and communities can plan around. 

Read Our Sign On Letter

Event Recap 

• What: News conference calling for faithful implementation of SB 54 and opposing broad exemptions or “chemical recycling” loopholes 

• Where: Capitol Park Area 27 (near 13th & N St.), Sacramento, CA 

• Who: Legislators including Sens. Ben Allen and Catherine Blakespear; Asms. Gregg Hart, Isaac Bryan, and colleagues; and organizations including NSAC, CALPIRG, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation, Environment California, and others 
  

About the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) 

The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that advocates and provides consulting services to advance a responsible, circular economy anywhere in the U.S. and at any level of government. NSAC has been instrumental in the passage of several first-in-the-nation laws, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for medicines and needles, and was a key negotiator of California’s packaging law, SB 54 (2022). Follow us on LinkedIn, and to join or donate visit: nsaction.us/donate. 

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