SAF's Sanborn Honored with 2025 Agent of Change Award
- nsaction
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
We are proud to share that Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director/CEO of the Stewardship Action Foundation (SAF) and National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) , has been awarded the 2025 Agent of Change Award by the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA). The award was presented at NAHMMA’s 40th Annual Conference in Naperville, Illinois.
Heidi was nominated by Erin Rowland, General Superintendent of Operations, Waste Diversion and Recycling for the City of Long Beach and a member of the Stewardship Action Foundation’s Board of Directors. In her nomination, Rowland described Heidi as “not just a leader—she is a force of nature and catalyst for environmental transformation, reshaping environmental policy, empowering communities, and inspiring the next generation of advocates.”
Often referred to as the “Godmother of EPR” in the U.S., Heidi has nearly 35 years of groundbreaking leadership in waste management, producer responsibility, and circular economy solutions. As the founding executive of three influential nonprofits—NSAC, the California Product Stewardship Council, and SAF—she has built a movement that has reshaped environmental policy and practice across the nation.
This recognition highlights Heidi’s unmatched expertise, relentless advocacy, and commitment to turning bold ideas into tangible results. Congratulations to Heidi on this well-deserved honor.
To celebrate Heidi’s achievement and help continue the work she has championed for decades, consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Stewardship Action Foundation in her honor.
Read the Full Nomination
Heidi Sanborn is not just a leader—she is a force of nature and catalyst for environmental transformation, reshaping environmental policy, empowering communities, and inspiring the next generation of advocates. With nearly 35 years of groundbreaking leadership in waste management, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and circular economy solutions, Heidi has championed and passed more EPR laws than any other U.S. leader, reducing pollution, boosting recycling, and holding corporations financially responsible for the products and packaging they create.
Her impact extends far beyond legislation. As the founding director of three influential nonprofits—the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC), California Product Stewardship Council, and Stewardship Action Foundation (SAF) —she has built a movement. Heidi doesn’t just write policies; she makes them work, bridging divides between industry, government, and environmental advocates. Her leadership on SB 54, the nation’s strongest plastic EPR law, and SB 212, the first U.S. drug take-back program, proves that bold change is possible—even against well-funded opposition.
Beyond waste policy, Heidi influences clean energy as an elected Sacramento Municipal Utility District board member and continues to lead the charge on hazardous and hard-to-manage products. In 2025, NSAC co-sponsored California Senate Bills 501 and 561—among the nation’s first EPR laws aimed at household hazardous waste and the safe, environmentally responsible disposal of marine flares. These bills would ensure that the responsibility of collection, safety, and disposal of these products would be shared with manufacturers, reducing fire risk and protecting environmental and public health. Heidi’s leadership on these groundbreaking policies demonstrates her enduring commitment to public safety, producer accountability, and systemic reform.
Her relentless drive, policy expertise, and real-world implementation skills make her a rare leader who turns bold ideas into tangible results. She lifts others up, whether by coaching young professionals, spotlighting underrepresented voices, or creating platforms for collaboration.
For her unmatched expertise, relentless advocacy, and dedication to equity, Heidi Sanborn is the embodiment of an Agent of Change. She doesn’t just envision a better world—she builds it. The North American Hazardous Materials Management Association Award would be a fitting recognition of her decades of transformative leadership.
Heidi doesn’t just change policies—she changes lives. And that’s why she deserves this honor.
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