The Canadian Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) has appointed Sarah Cotton-Elliott as its new chief executive officer to lead the organization in its mission to support sustainable waste management practices and producer responsibility frameworks.

As CEO, Cotton-Elliott will be responsible for strengthening partnerships, expanding advocacy efforts and driving forward policies that enhance product stewardship initiatives across Canada.

Cotton-Elliott brings to the CPSC an extensive background as a communications and public affairs consultant with over 20 years experience.

This includes her work on behalf of various trade associations and the Beverage Container Recycling Network of Canada, where she was actively engaged in discussions concerning best practices and key performance indicators related to recycling.

The CPSC, a not-for-profit entity established by members of the Canadian extended producer responsibility (EPR) community, is dedicated to overseeing the entire life cycle of products, from production to disposal. 

This involves promoting the development of a comprehensive Canadian recycling infrastructure whereby products are disposed of in a responsible, environmentally friendly manner.

One of the major functions of the council is to organize biannual conferences bringing together leading Canadian thought leaders, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss best practices in product stewardship and EPR. 

These events facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among stakeholders, a process crucial to advancing sustainability initiatives across the country.

Cotton-Elliott's career working in the sustainability sector

Stepping into the role of CEO represents the culmination of years of dedicated effort on the part of Cotton-Elliott in promoting environmental responsibility in product disposal. She remains committed to transform waste management as part of Canada's transition to a low-carbon economy.

"I've been involved in working with this conference for over seven years now and it's been incredible to witness the evolution of products during this time," Cotton-Elliott said in an interview with Sustainable Biz Canada.

"In terms of technologies, we're now witnessing the deployment of AI (artificial intelligence) sorting systems which are helping to improve recyclability and also lessen contamination . . . In addition, we've seen more and more provinces introduce extended producer responsibility regulations across the country over the past several years that are also improving (waste management practices)."

Setting the stage for the next CPSC global conference

Cotton-Elliott will now be responsible for providing new leadership to the CPSC and also for organizing the next major conference in September 2026.

This is part of her and the council's mission to expand communication between major stakeholders in the waste management sector and to encourage manufacturers to continue along the path of adopting sustainable materials and packaging.

"The CPSC has developed a reputation for being thought leaders in responsible waste management and EPR. And so I want to build on that legacy and continue to work and collaborate with the industry, with government and with policymakers bring EPR forward even more," Cotton-Elliott said.

"We serve (as) the go-to forum in Canada for having these discussions. We recruit speakers from the United States, from Europe and all over the world to get a global perspective.

"The onus of setting out a product's life cycle is on the producers and manufacturers and they need to ensure that their products at the end of their life will be disposed of in a responsible manner."

Cotton-Elliott also wants to promote greater awareness and understanding of each province's regulations to ensure Canadian companies will be abiding by new standards with respect to content, packaging and waste disposal.

"We bring government officials to speak at each conference we organize in order to make Canadian companies understand the steps they will need to be taking to meet these requirements. And obviously when it comes to sustainability, there are much greater restrictions on the use of non-biodegradable materials."

Improving lines of communication between stakeholders

While the CPSC itself does not directly consult with governments, council members engage with federal and provincial governments to promote sustainability guidelines and EPR regulations. This advocacy helps shape policies that encourage manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices.

Cotton-Elliott believes one of the greatest assets she brings to the CPSC is her long-time experience building lines of communication between government and industry in the EPR sector.

"I've helped to some extent in the policy area and my focus has always been to fostering partnerships and collaboration, which is why I believe I was chosen for my new role at CPSC, because there certainly is a lot of discussion taking place within the industry now and we need to build on this.

"We have excellent relationships with the speakers, the sponsors, the exhibitors and all the groups that participate in the conference. Keeping that dialogue going is vital and we'll also look for additional other ways to communicate with our stakeholders in the coming years."