Product Stewardship
Product stewardship is the practice of all parties involved in a product’s lifecycle engaging in a shared responsibility for its social and environmental impact. From material sourcing to end of life, all involved, including manufacturers, retailers and consumers, share in a responsibility for that product’s life.
Laws across the nation and around the globe dictate various ways in which these various entities support product stewardship, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives, which tend to focus on manufacturers and retailers, as well as products that may be considered Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).
Product stewardship, while generally applied to products that require special disposal, also concerns everyday items that may not have legislation that pertain to their end of life. For the consumer, product stewardship not only defines how certain goods are recycled or properly disposed of, but also the considerations that go into maximizing the use of various products throughout their lifecycle. For example:
At the point of purchase, it is important to consider how that product will be disposed of or recycled. If, for example, there are not local recycling options for one version of a product, but there are recycling options for another, choosing the product with the most accessible disposal option from the onset will make it more likely that it will remain in the manufacturing stream and find a new life in recycling or reuse. This simple act also reduces overall household waste, as the average America produces up to 4.6 pounds of trash daily.
While the product is in use, caring for it and using it as it is intended will not only maximize its useful life, but also prevent the need to purchase additional materials. By making the best use of every product, less waste is created, money is saved and overall resources are conserved by removing the need to purchase new goods.
Once the product is ready for recycling or proper disposal, there are many opportunities to find new ways to repurpose or reuse it around the home or office. Simple items such as glass jars and aluminum cans have a multitude of reuse opportunities, while more hazardous items such as paint or electronics may have donation or reuse options throughout the local community.
At a product’s end of life, it is vital to consider the best means of disposing of it. This can include recycling, donation, taking an item to an HHW drive or even resale. The special requirements for disposing of HHW are especially important at this point, as proper disposal can prevent toxic chemicals from contaminating the environment.
—www.earth911.com. More Product Stewardship resources include the Product Stewardship Institute (www.productstewardship.us) and California Product Stewardship Council (www.calpsc.org).