Product Stewardship and Water Efficiency Labelling: New Tools to Reduce Waste

Foreword

1 Introduction and Context

2 Issues Arising from the Submissions

3 Work Subsequent to the Discussion Document

4 Summary of Submissions

5 Submissions on Product Stewardship

6 Submissions on Water Efficiency Labelling

Appendix: List of Submissions

1 Introduction and Context

1.1 Waste strategy

The 2002 New Zealand Waste Strategy set a new direction for the reduction, resource recovery and better management of waste in New Zealand. The strategy seeks to break the strong link between economic development and waste generation.

Reducing harm from some wastes requires additional measures throughout a product's life-cycle, from manufacture and use through to disposal. Product stewardship is one way to do this, and several useful industry-led product stewardship schemes already exist in New Zealand.

1.2 Release of discussion document

In July 2005 a discussion document, Product Stewardship and Water Efficiency Labelling: New Tools to Reduce Waste, was released for public comment. This document described some of the issues involved with product stewardship, and some options to consider. It also addressed a water efficiency labelling scheme (WELS) for whiteware (washing machines and dishwashers), toilets, urinals, shower-heads and taps.

The present document draws out the major issues raised by submitters, summarises the submissions received, and outlines work that is being done on product stewardship and WELS. Although the discussion document set out preferred options for product stewardship and WELS, the final shape of the policies and their adoption by the Government are yet to be determined.

1.3 Product stewardship

The discussion document gave the following description of product stewardship:

Product stewardship involves producers, importers, brand owners, retailers and other parties involved in the life-cycle of products accepting responsibility for the environmental impacts of the products throughout their life-cycle. At the manufacturing stage this includes having waste issues considered when decisions are made on the choice of material, the design of the product, the manufacturing process and efficiency of resource use. It may also include mechanisms such as resource recovery from waste and improved disposal of products. The term 'extended producer responsibility' is used in a similar way, although often with a narrower focus on the responsibilities of producers.

1.3.1 Options

The discussion document outlined the following four options:

1. the status quo - no regulation
2. industry-led schemes with regulation of 'free-riders'
3. a mandatory approach to the establishment of product stewardship schemes
4. a mix of voluntary and regulatory approaches, which would use voluntary mechanisms, with regulation as a safety net to fill the gaps.

Without making a commitment on the final shape of product stewardship policy, the Ministry showed a preference for the fourth option. A full description of these options can be found in the discussion document.

1.4 Water efficiency labelling

The discussion paper also addressed WELS for whiteware, toilets and taps. This issue is linked to Australian initiatives to improve the efficiency of water use, but it also has energy benefits from savings in the use of hot water.