Product stewardship is an approach to managing the impacts of different products and materials on the environment and human health and safety. Product stewardship schemes help to manage these impacts over a product’s life-cycle.
These schemes can be:
- industry-led voluntary schemes
- co-regulatory arrangements between industry and government
- mandatory schemes under law.
The Government also works with industry on potential industry-led voluntary action; or where products and materials may be considered for schemes in the future.
Current schemes
TVs and computers
We work with industry to run a national recycling scheme for TVs, computers, printers and related hardware.
Plastics and packaging
The Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) requires companies to minimise their packaging waste.
Oil
The Government provides industry incentives to increase recycling of used oil.
Mobile phones
MobileMuster is the official recycling program of Australia’s mobile phone industry.
Tyres
Tyre Stewardship Australia manage the national Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme. The scheme promotes the development of viable markets for tyre-derived products.
Large plastic bags
Big bag recovery collects and recycles bags used for products over 15kg or 15L. They collect bags used for fertiliser, mulch, salt, sugar and explosives.
Batteries
The Battery Stewardship Scheme (BSS) is a national battery collection network. They collect and reuse end-of-life hand-held batteries.
Aluminium Cladding
The Fairview aluminium cladding scheme receives and collects Aluminium Composite Product (ACP) waste and uses an ACP recycling process (Ecoloop) to recycle 100% of the waste.
Priority products
Each year the Minister for the Environment sets a priority list for possible product stewardship schemes.