CalRecycle director confirmed by state senate

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) says Zoe Heller has received unanimous approval from the California Senate to serve as director of the statewide department.

Heller was appointed as director last May, and the agency says she is “widely respected with deep expertise in zero waste and circular economy strategies” and brings a proven track record of building consensus to advance common-sense, science-based environmental reforms.

“I am honored to serve at this critical time for California to implement zero waste actions by using less, reusing, properly collecting and continuously recycling materials instead of throwing them away,” Heller says.

“Working together with communities, businesses, tribes, local governments and other interested parties, California can eliminate waste from the world’s fourth-largest economy to build a cleaner, healthier future for everyone."

Heller’s priorities include addressing California’s climate and environmental goals through systemwide reforms, including expanding the state's beverage container recycling program to include wine and liquor bottles to the redemption program and funding more than 200 new collection locations.

Other priorities include plastic and packaging waste reduction; organics recycling and unsold food recovery; an industry-run stewardship program for apparel and other textiles; a “loose battery and battery-embedded product” industry-run stewardship program; and focusing on wildfire debris recovery.

Before being appointed director last year, Heller led CalRecycle’s Division of Circular Economy, its Materials Management and Local Assistance Division, and its Policy Office. Prior to joining CalRecycle, she held positions with the United States Environmental Protection Agency.