Product stewardship
Encyclopedia
Product stewardship is a concept whereby environmental protection centers around the product itself, and everyone involved in the lifespan of the product is called upon to take up responsibility to reduce its environmental impact. For manufacturers, this includes planning for, and if necessary, paying for the recycling or disposal of the product at the end of its useful life. This may be achieved, in part, by redesigning products to use fewer harmful substances, to be more durable, reuseable and recyclable, and to make products from recycled materials. For retailers and consumers, this means taking an active role in ensuring the proper disposal or recycling of an end-of-life product.
Those who advocate it are concerned with the later phases of product lifecycle and the comprehensive outcome of the whole production process. It is considered a pre-requisite to a strict service economy
interpretation of (fictional, national, legal) "commodity" and "product" relationships.
The most familiar example is the container-deposit legislation. A fee is paid to buy the bottle, separately from the fee to buy what it contains. If the bottle is returned, the fee is returned, and the supplier must return the bottle for re-use or recycling
. If not, the collected fee can be used to pay for landfill
or litter
control measures. Also, since the same fee can be collected by anyone finding and returning the bottle, it is common for people to collect these and return them as a means of surviving. This is quite common for instance among homeless people in U.S.
cities.
However, the principle is applied very broadly beyond bottles to paint
and automobile
parts such as tire
s. When purchasing paint or tires in many places, one simultaneously pays for the disposal of the toxic waste
they become. In some countries, such as Germany
, law
requires attention to the comprehensive outcome of the whole extraction, production, distribution, use and waste of a product, and holds those profiting from these legally responsible for any outcome along the way. This is also the trend in the UK
and EU generally. In the United States
, predictably, the issue has been confronted via class action lawsuits that attempt to hold companies liable
for the environmental impact of their products. Thus far, such as litigation or proposed accounting reform
s such as full cost accounting
have not gained much traction for the product stewardship concept in the United States beyond the realm of academe and corporate public relations
(derisively referred to as greenwashing).
The demand-side
approach ethical consumerism
, supported by consumer education and information about environmental impacts, may approach some of the same outcomes as product stewardship.
, a similar concept. However, there are distinct differences between the two, as suggested by the semantics of the different terms used.
While both concepts bring the onus of waste management for end-of-life products from the government to the manufacturers, Product Stewardship further extends this responsibility to everyone involved in the life-cycle of the product. This includes not only the manufacturers, but also the retailers, consumers and recyclers as well.
Those who advocate it are concerned with the later phases of product lifecycle and the comprehensive outcome of the whole production process. It is considered a pre-requisite to a strict service economy
Service economy
Service economy can refer to one or both of two recent economic developments. One is the increased importance of the service sector in industrialized economies. Services account for a higher percentage of US GDP than 20 years ago...
interpretation of (fictional, national, legal) "commodity" and "product" relationships.
The most familiar example is the container-deposit legislation. A fee is paid to buy the bottle, separately from the fee to buy what it contains. If the bottle is returned, the fee is returned, and the supplier must return the bottle for re-use or recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
. If not, the collected fee can be used to pay for landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
or litter
Litter
Litter consists of waste products such as containers, papers, wrappers or faeces which have been disposed of without consent. Litter can also be used as a verb...
control measures. Also, since the same fee can be collected by anyone finding and returning the bottle, it is common for people to collect these and return them as a means of surviving. This is quite common for instance among homeless people in U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cities.
However, the principle is applied very broadly beyond bottles to paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
parts such as tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
s. When purchasing paint or tires in many places, one simultaneously pays for the disposal of the toxic waste
Toxic waste
Toxic waste is waste material that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It spreads quite easily and can contaminate lakes and rivers. The term is often used interchangeably with “hazardous waste”, or discarded material that can pose a long-term risk to health or environment.Toxic waste...
they become. In some countries, such as Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
requires attention to the comprehensive outcome of the whole extraction, production, distribution, use and waste of a product, and holds those profiting from these legally responsible for any outcome along the way. This is also the trend in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and EU generally. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, predictably, the issue has been confronted via class action lawsuits that attempt to hold companies liable
Legal liability
Legal liability is the legal bound obligation to pay debts.* In law a person is said to be legally liable when they are financially and legally responsible for something. Legal liability concerns both civil law and criminal law. See Strict liability. Under English law, with the passing of the Theft...
for the environmental impact of their products. Thus far, such as litigation or proposed accounting reform
Accounting reform
Accounting reform is an expansion of accounting rules that goes beyond the realm of financial measures for both individual economic entities and national economies...
s such as full cost accounting
Full cost accounting
Full cost accounting generally refers to the process of collecting and presenting information - about environmental, social, and economic costs and benefits/advantages - for each proposed alternative when a decision is necessary. It is a conventional method of cost accounting that traces direct...
have not gained much traction for the product stewardship concept in the United States beyond the realm of academe and corporate public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
(derisively referred to as greenwashing).
The demand-side
Demand-side
The Demand side is a term used in economics to refer to a number of things:* The demand element of a supply and demand partial equilibrium diagram, in microeconomics* The aggregate demand in an economy, in macroeconomics...
approach ethical consumerism
Ethical consumerism
Ethical consumerism is the intentional purchase of products and services that the customer considers to be made ethically. This may mean with minimal harm to or exploitation of humans, animals and/or the natural environment...
, supported by consumer education and information about environmental impacts, may approach some of the same outcomes as product stewardship.
Extended producer responsibility
Product Stewardship is often used interchangeably with Extended producer responsibilityExtended producer responsibility
Extended producer responsibility is a strategy designed to promote the integration of environmental costs associated with goods throughout their life cycles into the market price of the products.- Definition :...
, a similar concept. However, there are distinct differences between the two, as suggested by the semantics of the different terms used.
While both concepts bring the onus of waste management for end-of-life products from the government to the manufacturers, Product Stewardship further extends this responsibility to everyone involved in the life-cycle of the product. This includes not only the manufacturers, but also the retailers, consumers and recyclers as well.