The California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) honors companies for their innovative business models during the organization’s 11th Annual Arrow Awards ceremony at California’s largest conference on waste reduction. Every year, the Arrow Award recipients illustrate how companies in California are taking steps to exemplify product stewardship by redesigning products and work processes to prioritize sustainability and innovate solutions that address their complex waste issues. This year’s winners demonstrate the creative problem-solving necessary to effectively tackle post-consumer material management.
“The Arrow Award winners are leaders in their industries. They support business models that manage resources responsibly, protect the earth, and provide jobs,” said Doug Kobold, Executive Director of CPSC, “which means California companies, such as Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Sirius Signal, Rethink Disposal, and Refill Madness have made great strides when it comes to environmental achievements that minimize impact locally and globally.”
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (www.sierranevada.com) is the recipient of the 2020 Golden Arrow Award for overall excellence in product stewardship. Sierra Nevada exemplifies producer responsibility by implementing voluntary programs, such as onsite composting, comprehensive recycling, and source reduction measures across their supply chain — all of which have a significant impact on the company’s environmental footprint and provide models of success for other industries. Also, it doesn’t hurt that their beer is delicious and is powered by craft beer’s largest solar array.
Sirius Signal (www.siriussignal.com) has received the 2020 Green Arrow Award for system and design innovations. The Green Arrow Award is given to an organization demonstrating an innovative system approach that removes or reduces toxic or other problematic attributes present in other similar products. Sirius Signal has accomplished this feat by redesigning the marine distress signal to be safe, reusable, and free of hazardous chemical exposure during use. Marine flares expire 42 months from manufacture, and California has no statewide collection or recycling program.
Rethink Disposable (www.rethinkdisposable.org) is the winner of the 2020 Bow & Arrow Award for coalition building and creative partnerships. Bow & Arrow recipients demonstrate synergistic relationships between producers, distributors, retailers, public agencies, and other stakeholders. Through Rethink Disposal’s advocacy, we’ve seen important collaboration firsthand and are proud to recognize the organization for incredible efforts building coalitions to reduce single-use plastic waste generation and promote reusables.
Refill Madness (www.refillmadnesssacramento.com) was presented with the 2020 Infinity Arrow Award for service and take-back. They have initiated an outstanding take-back program and provide community services with a wonderful store in Sacramento, CA. Refill Madness offers packaging free consumer goods, recycling collection for hard-to-recycle items (such as mascara wands, toothbrushes) plus legislative advocacy to drive waste reduction policies with producer responsibility.
In addition to our Arrow Awards, CPSC has recognized the Tehama County Solid Waste Management Agency (TCSWMA) as our 2020 Associate of the Year, for actively nurturing and sustaining the EPR movement in their jurisdiction. Tehama County was instrumental in passing SB 212 for safe medicine and needle disposal at the state level and showed leadership by passing a local ordinance, which was later preempted by SB 212. Furthermore, they successfully completed two grant projects with education and source reduction for 1 lb. propane cylinders – promoting CPSC’s award-winning ReFuel Your Fun campaign. We also want to express gratitude for Gideon Kracov Law and recognize it as the 2020 Sponsor of the year. Mr. Kracov has put forth time and energy toward the success and growth of the product stewardship movement. Additionally, his generous support of the 2019 California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE) educational study trip helped make that invaluable trip possible.
The California Product Stewardship Council’s Annual Arrow Awards ceremony took place during the California Resource Recovery Association’s 43nd annual conference and tradeshow, held virtually on August 16-19, 2020.