Product Stewardship

Product stewardship is an approach, a concept, a policy for managing the impacts of different products and materials. It acknowledges that those involved in producing, selling, using and disposing of products have a shared responsibility to ensure that those products or materials are managed in a way that reduces their impact, throughout their lifecycle, on the environment and on human health and safety.

It is a product-centered approach to environmental protection also known as extended product responsibility (EPR) It calls on those in the product lifecycle—manufacturers, retailers, users, and disposers—to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products. 

Product stewardship recognizes that product manufacturers must take on new responsibilities to reduce the environmental footprint of their products. However, real change cannot always be achieved by producers acting alone: retailers, consumers, and the existing waste management infrastructure need to help to provide the most workable and cost-effective solutions. Solutions and roles will vary from one product system to another.

• Manufacturers and Product Stewardship

In most cases, manufacturers have the greatest ability, and therefore the greatest responsibility, to reduce the environmental impacts of their products. Companies that are accepting the challenge are recognizing that product stewardship also represents a substantial business opportunity. By rethinking their products, their relationships with the supply chain, and the ultimate customer, some manufacturers are dramatically increasing their productivity, reducing costs, fostering product and market innovation, and providing customers with more value at less environmental impact. Reducing use of toxic substances, designing for reuse and recyclability, and creating takeback programs are just a few of the many opportunities for companies to become better environmental stewards of their products. 

• Retailers and Product Stewardship

As the sector with the closest ties to consumers, retailers are one of the gateways to product stewardship. From preferring product providers who offer greater environmental performance, to educate the consumer on how to choose environmentally preferable products, to enable consumers to return of products for recycling, retailers are an integral part of the product stewardship revolution.

• Consumers and Product Stewardship

All products are designed with a consumer in mind. Ultimately, it is the consumer who makes the choice between competing products and who must use and dispose of products responsibly.  Without consumer engagement in product stewardship, there is no “closing  the loop.” Consumers must make responsible buying choices which consider environmental impacts. They must use products safely and efficiently. Finally, they must take the extra steps to recycle products that they no longer need.

• State and Local Governments and Product Stewardship

Solid waste programs should be focussed for primary management at the state and local level. Thus, state and local governments are essential to fostering product stewardship, especially as it relates to waste management. There is a growing need for solid waste master plans, and undertaking cooperative efforts with manufacturers, retailers and others to increase recycling of discarded products.  

Need

• Coordination and collaboration among states, local governments, industry, and non-governmental organizations on these issues. 

• Incentivize the development of products with stronger environmental attributes.

• To address the full range of product lifecycle issues, the Product Stewardship program also works with other EPA programs, as well as various public- and private-sector stakeholders, to promote "greener" design, greener product standards, and greener purchasing practices.

• Planning today.......for a greener tomorrow

Like it or not, we are all part of a voracious consumer culture. Keeping recyclables out of landfill reduces the need to create new landfill sites. Reusing these recycled materials consumes less energy than creating these products from raw material. Many products become toxic at the end of their lifecycle. By committing to responsibly recycle these products, and by doing our part and returning them to collection sites, we can help ensure our future is sustainable for generations to come.