A voluntary national product stewardship scheme has moved one step closer to reality in Australia with the recent application for regulatory approval of an A$0.15/litre levy to be applied to the sale of new architectural and decorative paint in Australia.

Levy revenue would fund the not-for-profit company Paint Stewardship Ltd to administer all aspects of the collection scheme, including education, marketing and communication, R&D investment, transport and processing of waste paint from trade and domestic sources across the country.

The National Waste Paint Implementation Working Group has completed the scheme’s business plan, economic model, 5-year rollout strategy and engagement plan and voted unanimously to support an application to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for approval of the levy. Assuming a favourable assessment by the ACCC against the Competition and Consumer Act, the scheme is expected to commence in May 2016.

The GlobalPSC and several of our members have helped facilitate development of the scheme since Australia’s Environment Ministers agreed to place paint stewardship on their work plan in April 2013 and the Environment Minister’s June 2013 nomination of paint as a priority product under the Product Stewardship Act 2011.

In conjunction with Sustainability Victoria and the Australian Paint Manufacturers’ Federation, the GlobalPSC facilitated initial stakeholder discussions, featured paint and batteries in a priority product stewardship workshop and developed the public policy and business case for a voluntary paint stewardship approach in Australia. Further details and primary documents are available on the Knowledge Base available to GlobalPSC members.

South Africa has issued requirements for the paper and packaging industry, electrical and electronic equipment industry and lighting industry to prepare and submit industry waste management plans for approval by the Minister of Environmental Affairs under the National Environmental Management Act 2008.

Details on requirements, consultation process, timeframes and penalties for non-compliance are available to GlobalPSC members in the Knowledge Base under the Frameworks & Harmonization tab.

Back in 2000 the terms “product stewardship” and “extended producer responsibility” were rarely uttered in the U.S. Today there are 84 EPR laws in 33 states across 12 product categories.

These laws are spreading both in the U.S. and around the world, and for three basic reasons: They have saved millions of dollars for government agencies, they have created jobs and they have reduced waste by using materials more sustainably.

A recent article posted by Scott Cassel of the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) in the Knowledge Base available to GlobalPSC members provides a status update on EPR systems in the U.S. It identifies which products provide the greatest lessons and which offer new or emerging opportunities. It also lays out PSI’s ‘elements of a good EPR law’ and discusses key issues being debated in the field.

On 22 May 2014, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law Act 139, the first battery recycling law of its kind in the U.S.

Under Act 139, single-use battery manufacturers must plan, implement, and manage a statewide battery collection program by 1 January, 2016. Single-use / ‘Primary’ batteries under the Act include non-rechargeable batteries weighing two kilograms or less, including alkaline, carbon-zinc, and lithium metal batteries.

Battery manufacturers must submit a plan to the state by 1 July 2015 stating how convenient battery drop-off locations for consumers at retail and municipal sites will be implemented by 1 January 2016.

Act 139, as signed, is in the Knowledge Base available to GlobalPSC members.

In early November 2013, representatives of the Singapore Economic Development Board, Global Product Stewardship Council and GlobalPSC Sustaining Corporate member DHL Supply Chain met in Singapore to discuss the business case for product stewardship and potential opportunities in Singapore as well as the broader Asia Pacific region.

GlobalPSC CEO Russ Martin began with a presentation on the GlobalPSC perspective on the business case and potential ramifications for Singapore. The presentation is now available for GlobalPSC members via the Knowledge Base, under the Frameworks and Harmonisation category.

Our special thanks to Kevin Bennett of DHL Supply Chain, who arranged the discussions.

On 29 October 2013, GlobalPSC CEO Russ Martin presented as part of a professional development course on Product Registration Requirements in Asia Pacific during the Asia Pacific OH Conference 2013 in Singapore. The conference was led by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and recently-formed Product Stewardship Society (PSS).

The presentation details Australia’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS), which provides an integrated national approach for identifying and assessing industrial chemical entities (not products). Specific topics on NICNAS and product stewardship include:

• development, context and current structure of NICNAS, including registration and assessment requirements;
• overview of the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS);
• prioritisation and assessment of chemicals of concern under the new Inventory Multi-tiered Assessment and Prioritisation (IMAP) process;
• interaction with producer responsibility and notification requirements including the European Commission’s REACH requirements; and
• interaction with other international counterparts.

The presentation is now available in the Knowledge Base available to GlobalPSC members, under the Chemicals and Chemical Containers category.

資源回收管理基金管理委員會
Resource Recycling Fund Management Board

In November 2013, GlobalPSC CEO Russ Martin met with officials of the Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan’s (EPAT) Resource Recycling Fund Management Board in Taipei. The presentation that served as the basis for discussions has been made available for members on the GlobalPSC Knowledge Base.

The presentation details the following for Taiwan:

• Evolution of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) policy
• Regulated recyclable waste (RRW)
• Four in one system
• Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
• Recycling fees
• Green Differential Fee rate
• Collection amounts

The presentation, in both English and Chinese, can be found under the Programs category in the Knowledge Base.

2012 was a pretty active year for the Global Product Stewardship Council. Some of the GlobalPSC’s 2012 highlights include:

MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

• Grew to over 40 members from 6 countries
• Implemented a one-year trial of 20% reciprocal membership discounts between the GlobalPSC and Product Stewardship Institute (since extended for another year)
• In addition to a high membership renewal rate, we’ve had several new members join, including:
• TES-AMM Australia New Zealand
• Zero Waste SA
• Plasback
• Vinyl Council of Australia
• Alberta Recycling
• Australian Paint Manufacturers’ Federation
• Joachim Quoden Law Firm
• Kelleher Environmental
• Planet Ark
• RED Group

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

• Expanded our Knowledge Base and developed a new program database for GlobalPSC members

• Expanded social media and networking opportunities including:
• converted our website to WordPress to better share information
• developed a newsletter with general articles as well as more detailed information for GlobalPSC members
• created member profiles
• an email distribution list of over 400 interested parties
• discussions with over 670 members from 37 countries in a public forum on LinkedIn
• increased presence through Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and our home page

OUTREACH ACHIEVEMENTS

• Appointment to the Australian Government’s Product Stewardship Advisory Group, to provide independent advice to the government on products that could be considered for attention under the Product Stewardship Act 2011
• Provided the Council’s perspective through presentations and participation in events in China, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand
• Started facilitating business case, public policy rationale and stakeholder engagement for paint and battery product stewardship initiatives for Sustainability Victoria
• Facilitated and posted a video on the business case for Panasonic’s approach to product stewardship in Australia and internationally
• Conducted a sustainable packaging breakfast series with the Sustainable Packaging Alliance

We’d like to thank everyone that’s made such an eventful 2012 possible, especially our members, speakers and attendees at GlobalPSC events.

We’d also like to extend our best wishes over the holidays and wish you a happy and prosperous 2013.