2024 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit
June 11-13, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
Yvette Cabrera
Director, Food Waste
NRDC
Bio:
Yvette Cabrera has worked in food systems for more than decade. At NRDC, she oversees engagement on federal, state, and local food waste policy, and cutting-edge research on food waste. Before joining NRDC, Cabrera worked on food loss and waste at the Rockefeller Foundation. Cabrera holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a master's degree from New York University. She is based in New York City.
Schedule
Wednesday, May 20
1:30pm - 2:30pm
"Depackaging at a Crossroads: Promise, Risk, and the Path Forward"
Breakout
Depackaging is a fast growing part of the organics recycling infrastructure, helping to quickly and conveniently divert food waste from landfill. But as the technology adoption scales, so do the questions. What do we actually know about how depackaging impacts compost quality, digestate, and microplastics contamination? Where is the data still lacking? And how should policymakers and practitioners respond in the absence of clear standards? This session creates space for a candid conversation across perspectives—from regulators to environmental advocates to organics recyclers on the ground. Together, panelists will explore what must be true for depackaging to play a responsible role in organics diversion, what guardrails may be needed, and how the industry can move forward without compromising long-term system integrity.