Nina Butler-San SebastianNina Bellucci Butler chose the pristine beach of San Sebastian, Spain, to celebrate her 40th birthday. “If it’s in your make up, you have to look in recycling bins and observe choices around plastic when on vacation,” says Butler, who earned her DEL-MEM in 2007. She works as managing director Moore Recycling Associates Inc., where she works on issues related to plastics in the environment.

“My work at Duke, building a decision analysis tool comparing biobased plastics to traditional plastics, enhanced my ability to serve as a liaison between the plastics industry, government and nonprofit organizations,” adds Butler, who lives in Carrboro, N.C., with her husband and two young daughters. “We at Moore Recycling track critical data (e.g., the data used by the EPA to determine the plastic recycling rates) and provide recommendations (e.g., the Wrap Recycling Action Program) to government and industry (primarily resin and brand companies) to improve the capture rate of plastics.

“My time at Duke has yielded excellent connections. I’ve called on professors, classmates and other alumni to enhance our work and project teams (Tonya Randell, who earned her BA from Duke in 1999, now leads our state and local plastic recycling initiatives). Chad Jodon, a Fuqua grad, and I started co-creating back in 2007 and have since developed some our company’s signature tools (e.g., www.PlasticFilmRecycling.org). We plan to continue to expand the company’s impact on resource management, and I’m looking forward taking on a leadership role at Moore as the founding leaders prepare for retirement.”

Chad Jodon and Nina Bellucci Butler at a networking event. “I’m sporting items made of recycled soda bottles, of course,” she says.

Chad Jodon and Nina Bellucci Butler at a networking event. “I’m sporting items made of recycled soda bottles, of course,” she says.