With California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act driving major advancements in textile waste management, collaboration is key to ensure a robust solution for the entire value chain. Learn how a partnership between Goodwill, Reju, and Waste Management came together and what it means for the future of textile recovery. Explore how this multi-year initiative is creating a model for regional textile collection, sortation, reuse, and recycling to divert textiles from the waste stream and into the recovery cycle.

This session will highlight the challenges and opportunities within the textile recycling ecosystem and how partnerships like this are advancing the circular economy. Presenters will discuss the role of collaboration across the value chain, highlight innovative solutions to increase adoption of circular systems, and show how strategic partnerships can drive comprehensive solutions in response to developing legislation. This session will also illustrate how this partnership offers a powerful approach to addressing the textile waste crisis, especially as California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act continues to evolve. Panelists will dive into their unique roles in this collaboration, demonstrating how their collective efforts are reshaping textile waste management for the future.

About the Speakers

Beth Forsberg
Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer | Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA)

Beth Forsberg has been with Goodwill for over 18 years and currently serves as the VP, Chief Sustainability Officer for Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona (GCNA). While sustainability has been at the heart of Goodwill since it was founded, Beth has been spearheading efforts to further material reuse and waste diversion initiatives for the organization. In her time with GCNA, she has pioneered a revolutionary textile sorting and grading program and more recently, has worked in collaboration with ASU on a first-of-its-kind material recovery and remanufacturing facility turning plastic waste into pellets and ultimately new products for local end markets. Beth is further dedicated to the Goodwill mission by ensuring GCNA’s sustainability efforts deliver opportunities to upskill the workforce and ultimately provide poverty ending programs for communities.

  
Colleen Foster
Senior Project Manager | HF&H Consultants, LLC

Colleen Foster is an experienced Environmental Officer with a demonstrated history of working in government administration, regulatory oversight, environmental compliance, policy, advocacy, and utility services (Water; Public Works; Solid Waste). She is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Speaking, Environmental Compliance, Government, Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS). Foster is a strong business development professional with a Master’s Degree focused in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School.

Raymond Randall
Senior Manager, Textiles | WM 

Raymond is Sr. Manager of Textile Recycling at WM, and is responsible for strategy, integration, and supply chain engagements that will ultimately help shift the textile industry towards greater circularity. With over twenty-five years of solid waste and recycling experience, he has provided a wide range of services to a diverse set of clients including Fortune 100 companies, NGOs and non-profit organizations, as well as city, county and state government agencies. Raymond graduated from Geneva College with a BS in Business Administration and a BS in Management Science. He earned a MBA from University of Florida.

Eric Joo
Head of North America Feedstock Operations | Reju