In the Wild: Becky Haworth with CalRecycle

My name is Becky Haworth (she/her) and I am a second year in the Environmental Policy and Management Program at UC Davis, specializing in Sustainable Food Systems. I graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2018 with a degree in Environmental Earth Science. After a brief stint in the wine industry and a year working in local government, I began my career in state government. I currently work as an Environmental Scientist at CalRecycle, overseeing implementation of an extended producer responsibility program for medicationand sharps waste. After graduation, I hope to shift my career towards developing policy solutions to food waste issues and implementing edible food recovery programs.

For my practicum, I worked with CalRecycle to examine and understand its role in increasing waste management opportunities for Tribal communities to address the needs of these communities and transition the state to a fully circular economy. My research focused on how Tribes interact with extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs. EPR is an environmental policy approach that holds producers responsible for product management through the product's lifecycle. EPR programs are unique because they are specific to certain products or product categories and implemented by the producers of those products, with oversight by CalRecycle.

I created an internal document that considers the importance of ensuring Tribes and other underserved communities have access to waste disposal through EPR programs. It identifies how the EPR programs CalRecycle oversees currently interact with Tribes; contemplates challenges with these interactions and Tribal access to programs; and offers considerations for next steps. Through this work, I gained insights into the complexities of Tribal relations, the importance of inclusive policy language, and just how many unanswered questions still exist on this topic. My practicum will be used by CalRecycle to understand what gaps in internal policies and procedures exist regarding Tribal considerations, and will guide conversations and inform strategies moving forward to create more equitable and accessible waste management in California.

The views, opinions and recommendations expressed in published policy briefs are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management at UC Davis.