Product Stewardship

Resource efficiency Product Stewardship Sustainability

WilkinsoN Environmental Ltd

Product stewardship represents a paradigm shift in the way the environmental impacts of products are managed.

Product stewardship is a concept whereby all those that play a part in a product’s lifecycle take some responsibility for reducing its environmental footprint.

The New Zealand government has developed legislation that introduces product stewardship on a more formal basis. The Waste Minimisation Minimisation Act 2008 has introduced the following:

· puts a levy on all waste disposed of in landfills to generate funding to help local government, communities and businesses reduce the amount of waste

· assists and can require the establishment of product stewardship schemes

· allows for regulations making it mandatory for certain groups to report on waste to improve information on waste minimisation

· introduces a new Board to give independent advice to the Minister for the Environment on waste minimisation issues.

Product stewardship usually focuses on products that are of concern because they are:

· high volume

· hazardous

· of public concern

· have a high environmental impact

Overseas, product stewardship has been applied to products such as:

· batteries

· IT equipment

· electronics

· packaging

· cars

· lighting

· used oil

Wilkinson Environmental is working with businesses and industry sectors to develop product stewardship solutions for products in New Zealand.

Product stewardship

For manufacturers this includes planning for, and potentially paying for, the recycling or disposal of the product at the end of its useful life.

For retailers and consumers, this means taking an active role in ensuring the proper disposal or recycling of an end-of-life product.