My Journey as an Intern with ReMA

When I first joined the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) as a Sustainability & Advocacy Intern, I had no idea just how formative the experience would be. My path toward environmental policy began years earlier, when I won the JASON Learning Video and Poster Contest my senior year of high school, which was an early affirmation that communicating environmental issues mattered. I carried that passion into my studies at the University of Maryland, where I am pursuing a degree in Environmental Politics and Policy. Now, as a senior graduating in December, I can confidently say that my time with ReMA has been one of the most impactful parts of my academic and professional development.

I began my internship with ReMA in August 2024, stepping immediately into several projects that helped me understand the scope and complexity of the recycled materials industry. Early on, I researched municipal codes for metals recycling across U.S. cities, contributed to ReMA's Sustainability Toolkit, developed procurement guidelines for sustainable merchandise purchases, and collaborated with JASON Learning to update portions of the ReMA Recycling Activities Curriculum. I also supported work on recycling statistics and researched companies advancing industrial decarbonization, which is an area that deepened my interest in climate solutions.

After studying abroad in Barcelona during spring 2025-an experience that expanded my understanding of circular economy models on an international scale-I returned to ReMA in May 2025 with renewed motivation and a more global view on sustainability. I continued interning through the summer and fall, taking on even more responsibility as my skills grew.

Throughout 2025, I contributed to a wide range of initiatives: continuing to draft content for the Sustainability Toolkit, tracking state-level Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Responsible End Markets (REM) policy developments, conducting research on battery safety messaging, and presenting my findings to a wide range of organizations. I also developed an interactive commodity list that outlines major recyclable materials and their real-world examples, created ReMA's Workforce Grant Database to help members find relevant funding opportunities, assisted with writing and editing public comments for EPR proceedings, and supported ReMA's internal sustainability efforts.

My internship at ReMA has taught me far more than technical research skills. I learned how policy, operations, communications, and member support all intersect within a national trade association. I saw firsthand the importance of collaboration, whether that was between government and industry, or among ReMA's own teams. Most importantly, I discovered my confidence as a researcher and employee. I learned how to turn complex information into accessible guidance, how to navigate fast-moving policy landscapes, and how to apply sustainability principles in practical, business-facing contexts.

Through this experience, my entire view on the recycling system has changed. Prior to ReMA, I knew that recycling was important, but never fully understood the scope of what the process entailed. Recycling doesn't stop at the blue bin, but extends throughout a complex interconnected network that reaches all sides of industry, revealing just how many people, technologies, and decisions are required to turn discarded materials into valuable resources. I came to appreciate how policy, sustainability, and innovation all shape the fate of recovered materials. This insight has not only broadened my understanding of the industry, but also strengthened my interest in contributing to its continued growth and improvement.

This internship has furthered my commitment to pursuing a career in environmental law and policy. I am incredibly grateful to the ReMA staff for welcoming me from day one, especially my supervisor and mentor, Natalie Messer Betts. Over the past year, she has continued to challenge me and help me grow into a more skilled, informed, and passionate advocate for the recycled materials industry.