Name: Kate Davenport
Previous title: Co-president, Eureka Recycling
New title: Chief policy officer, The Recycling Partnership
Davenport is joining TRP to lead its efforts supporting extended producer responsibility policies and others like it at the state and national levels.
Davenport co-led Eureka Recycling, a nonprofit recycler in Minnesota, from 2016 to 2023 with Lynn Hoffman. The co-presidents both announced they were stepping aside from their positions late last year, and they assisted the transition to their successors, Miriam Holsinger and Katie Drews. Eureka runs a Minneapolis MRF and provides curbside recycling service for parts of the Twin Cities area.
Davenport said that the recycling landscape has faced "significant change" in recent years, thanks in part to shifting public policy.
"Today, we are at an inflection point where we can create a new paradigm for circularity, continue the momentum we all contribute to, and build common ground across sectors and stakeholders to accelerate our impact," she said in a statement.
The Recycling Partnership is a nonprofit backed by consumer brands that advocates for policies that expand recycling collection ensure the financial viability of recycling, among other priorities. At the Plastics Recycling Conference in March, Vice President of Public Policy Dylan de Thomas said California’s SB 54 is creating “systemic change” in recycling for the state and advocated for similar packaging EPR laws elsewhere around the country. TRP also released a report earlier this year finding EPR could play a role in boosting the country’s stubbornly low recycling rate.
Prior to her role at Eureka, Davenport also held roles at EcoVentures International and Envirelation, a commercial composter. In her new role, she will also advocate for “environmental justice, expanded access, education practices, and impactful value chain advancements,” per a release.
Davenport is not the first industry professional to make the jump from a nonprofit recycler to an advocacy group. In 2022, Kate Bailey moved from roles at Eco-Cycle and the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers to the Association of Plastic Recyclers, where she continues to serve as chief policy officer today.
