Ep. 187 - Recycling, Waste Policy & Remaking in America w/Heidi Sanborn

How can America reduce waste, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and rebuild its recycling infrastructure at the same time? On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Heidi Sanborn, founding director and CEO of the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) and the National Stewardship Action Foundation. Sanborn discusses the growing crisis facing America’s recycling and waste management systems, why domestic recycling infrastructure is collapsing, and how short-term economic thinking has made the United States increasingly dependent on China for recycled materials and manufacturing inputs. The conversation explores how environmental stewardship, economic resilience, permitting reform, and supply chain security increasingly overlap — and why policies designed to promote sustainability can sometimes unintentionally undermine it. Major topics include: • Why waste and pollution are closely connected • The collapse of America’s recycling infrastructure • China’s influence over global recycled material markets • The Remade in America Pledge • Trade policy, tariffs, and domestic manufacturing • Recycling, permitting reform, and regulatory barriers • Mechanical vs. chemical recycling systems • Hazardous waste disposal and marine flare safety • Producer responsibility and product stewardship laws • How AI and technology are changing recycling operations Sanborn also explains how the National Stewardship Action Council works with states across the country to create policies focused on producer responsibility, safer waste management systems, and stronger domestic recycling markets. The discussion closes with a broader conversation about balancing environmental goals, affordability, regulation, and long-term economic sustainability. 00:00 — Intro + Heidi Sanborn joins the show 01:25 — How Heidi got started in recycling 02:10 — Why waste equals inefficiency 05:18 — Recycling policy and regulatory challenges 08:14 — Why companies buy recycled materials from China 11:19 — Recycling, trade policy, and American manufacturing 16:28 — The Remade in America Pledge 20:08 — Chemical recycling vs. mechanical recycling 22:26 — Permitting reform and environmental policy 27:17 — Marine flare disposal challenges 30:04 — What the National Stewardship Action Council does 32:29 — Life in Sacramento and Lake Tahoe 33:14 — Where to follow NSAC and support the mission Follow us on social mediaX: @TheLunchHourPodInstagram: the_lunchhour_podLinkedIn: Lunch Hour PodcastTikTok: lunchhourpod Find more at Washington SignalYour source for policy, national security, and investigative journalism.https://washingtonsignal.com/