Joe Hruska is Vice-President of Sustainability at the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) where he leads the development and execution of sustainability, advocacy, and partnership programs to promote solutions that increase the recycling and recovery of plastics at end-of-life and that reduce marine litter.

Joe Hruska brings to this position a wealth of experience from various sectors including steel, petroleum, commercial banking, public policy and environmental protection. For more than 30 years, he has initiated product stewardship and environmental strategy policies and programs to promote positive change to drive the circular economy and sustainable materials management.

With his trademark leadership, vision and energy, he is the driving force behind an array of priority efforts at CPIA, including strengthening domestic end markets for used plastics resources, addressing impacts of domestic and international policies on plastic products and packaging, and analysing impacts and opportunities of plastics use and management throughout Canada.

Joe was a founding director and senior executive of the original Ontario Multi-Material Recycling Incorporated (OMMRI) where he worked to establish the Ontario Blue Box recycling system, markets for collected materials and policies in partnerships with industry and governments to support resource recovery. In 1996, he revisioned OMMRI into Corporations Supporting Recycling (CSR) to establish sustainable Blue Box Funding and stewardship programs in Ontario. In addition, he has been a director on the Recycling Council of Ontario and has provided advice and counsel as a director for other organizations, including Third Sector Recycling, Municipal Waste Integration Network and Collective Selective Quebec.