What is Product Stewardship and EPR?

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Product Stewardship and Extended Producer
Responsibility
Northwest Product Stewardship Council
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Product Stewardship

• Product Stewardship is an environmental
  management strategy that means whoever designs,
  produces, sells, or uses a product takes
  responsibility for minimizing the product's
  environmental impact throughout all stages of the
  products' life cycle. The greatest responsibility
  lies with whoever has the most ability to affect
  the lifecycle environmental impacts of the
  product.

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Extended Producer Responsibility

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
• an environmental policy approach in which a
  producers responsibility, physical and/or
  financial, for a product is extended to the
  post-consumer stage of a products life cycle
  (OECD, 2001)
• Often used interchangeably with product
  stewardship
• Similar terms
• Manufacturer/Producer Responsibility
• Shared Responsibility

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Related Concepts

• Cradle-to-Cradle manufacturing
• Design of products whose materials are
  perpetually circulated back into commerce in
  closed loops. Maintaining materials in closed
  loops maximizes material value and commercial use
  without damaging ecosystems.
• organic nutrient stream
• technical nutrient stream
• Green Chemistry
• Design of chemical products and processes that
  reduce or eliminate the use and generation of
  hazardous substances.

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Examples of Product Stewardship

• Manufacturers finance or provide take back
  programs for recycling or special disposal.
• Manufacturer redesign and reformulation of
  products to make products
• non or less toxic, such as eliminating PBDEs or
  mercury
• more recyclable, such as using easy-to-recycle
  materials
• easier to disassemble, such as reducing and
  standardizing types of fasteners
• more energy efficient, such as meeting Energy
  Star criteria
• made with recycled content
• Etc.

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Why is This Important to Us?

• Much waste we are handling is manufactured
  products.
• Most of these products are produced far away and
  globally, but the environmental end-of-life
  impacts are local.
• Local governments in the past have been
  responsible for providing end-of-life management
  and disposal.
• These costs are ever increasing due to the design
  and formulation of the products toxic, not
  recyclable, hard to disassemble, etc. and cost to
  properly handle.
• Since local governments have no control over the
  design of the products, but have had the
  responsibility for financing their disposal,
  there has been no feedback loop to the
  design/manufacturing process.

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EPR Provides Many Solutions

• Manufacturer financing or take-back of products
  provides an economic feedback loop that then
  influences design, leading to cleaner, safer
  products and less cost for future end-of-life
  management
• Removes program or financing burden from local
  governments (or provides financing)
• Provides much more convenient options to
  customers than what government can provide
• Results in greater recovery of toxic and
  recyclable materials

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EPR Provides Many Solutions

• EPR keeps resources circulating in commerce,
  creating jobs and business opportunities that are
  lost when materials are disposed.
• EPR harnesses business know how and relationships
  to develop superior, more effective and less
  expensive programs.
• Some manufacturers favor instead of prescriptive
  regulations.
• Provides non-tax solution to problems.

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Origin and Development of EPR

• 1990 EPR first coined for Swedish Environment
  Ministry by Thomas Lindhqvist, Lund University
• 1991 German Packaging Ordinance the first EPR
  program - shifts responsibility for packaging
  waste to industry DSD Green Dot system
  (essentially, producers of packaging finance
  curbside recycling collection)
• Progressive expansion of EPR from packaging to
  other products - batteries, electronics,
  refrigerants, tires, appliances, end of life
  vehicles, paint . . .
• 1995 OECD EPR work program commences Guidance
  Manual published 2001
• EU electronics directive (WEEE, RoHS) January
  2003 - mandates EPR, and sets toxic substance
  limits implementation starting 2006
• EPR spreading through Canada, Europe, Asia,
  beginning in U.S. and Americas. China adopting
  electronic standards similar to EU.

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Many Examples of EPR

• Voluntary and Legislated Programs
• Both have been stimulated by legislative action
  or anticipation of legislative action.
• Legislation usually needed to
• Level playing field so all participate and
  finance, not just a few
• Provide general performance standards and
  collection rates
• Enable industry-established Stewardship
  Organizations to collect fees for financing.
• Drive material into programs by banning disposal

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Example Electronics

• Throughout EU, Japan, Taiwan, beginning in Canada
  and China, etc.
• Washington State Electronics Recycling Law
• Passed 2006, establishes program 2009
• Similar approach now incorporated into
  models/legislation by 10 Northeast states, 5
  Midwest states and Oregon
• Similar approach endorsed by resolution of
  Council of State Governments (Nov. 30, 2006)
• Dell Global Recycling Policy
• Free recycling of any Dell product from
  individual anywhere.
• Free recycling of similar other-brand product
  when purchasing Dell product.

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Example Electronics

• Hewlett-Packard
• Key Supporter of Washington State Law
• Operates its own electronics recycling facilities
  in partnership with Noranda
• Target is to take back one billion lbs of product
  by 2007 with return and recycling services in
  more than 40 countries

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Examples Electronics

• Marcy Eastham, Northwest governmental-affairs
  manager for Hewlett Packard, said her company
  long ago concluded it was desirable to design
  products with end-of-life in mind. Older model
  laptops used a variety of screws until it dawned
  on HP recyclers it was faster to break down
  machines with one type of screw. Adhesives are
  scrutinized for their harm to the environment and
  their role in recycling. HP also strongly
  believed the cost of recycling should not be
  carried by a consumer fee, as is the case in
  California's law.
• - Seattle Times Editorial, Nov. 14, 2006

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Examples Electronics
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Example Pharmaceuticals
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Example Pharmaceuticals
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Ex. Batteries and Cell Phones
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Ex. Batteries and Cell Phones

• Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)
• Financed by manufacturers.
• Has over 30,000 retail collection locations for
  rechargeable batteries and cell phones.
• Examples of national retailers that participate
  in the RBRC Call2Recycle program
• Best Buy
• Black Decker
• Cingular Wireless
• Circuit City
• The Home Depot
• Lowe's
• Office Depot
• RadioShack

• RadioShack
• Sears
• Staples
• Target
• US Cellular
• Verizon Wireless

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Example Thermostats
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Example Auto Switches
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Example Auto Switches
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Example Paint, Etc.
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Example Used Oil
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Example Tires
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EPR Programs Common in Canada

• Used or Expired Medication
• Used Tires
• Used Oil, Containers and Filters
• Used Oil Only
• Used Electronics
• Used Paint, Stains and Varnishes
• Spent Lead Acid Batteries
• Used Solvents/Flammable Liquids, Gasoline,
  Pesticides, etc.

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EPR Programs in Canada
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NW Product Stewardship Council

• The Northwest Product Stewardship Council is a
  group of local, state and federal government
  agencies that works with businesses and nonprofit
  groups to integrate product stewardship
  principles into the policy and economic
  structures of the Pacific Northwest.
• Steering Committee Members include
• Cities of Tacoma and Seattle
• Washington Counties of King, Kitsap, Snohomish,
  Thurston, Walla Walla, and Yakima
• Oregon Metro and Oregon Department of
  Environmental Quality
• EPA, Region X
• Washington State Department of Ecology

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NW Product Stewardship Council

• In 2007, several steering committee agencies
  received grants from the Department of Ecology
  through the Coordinated Prevention Grant Program
  for 20007-08.
• 253,000 to support product stewardship work
• 100,000 to coordinate council activities and
  implement the NWPSC Communications Plan.
• Subcommittee work includes
• Electronics, Pharmaceuticals, Mercury-containing
  products, Paint, Beverage Containers, Tires
• Legislation Subcommittee
• Chemicals Policy Subcommittee

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Next Steps Electronics

• Represent governments in the WA Electronics
  Product Recycling Law rule-making process.
• Assist local businesses (retailers, collectors,
  processors, and charities) with the transition to
  new WA electronics recycling program.
• Assist with the expansion of Take it Back Network
  to more businesses, so they can benefit from new
  system AND provide more convenient services to
  our citizens.
• Assisting Oregon with passage of an Electronics
  Product Stewardship law.

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Next Steps Pharmaceuticals

• Conduct a pilot project to collect unwanted
  medicines at pharmacies in Washington.
• Modeled after the B.C. system.
• Expand the pilot project to more pharmacies and
  additional locations hospice, adult care, etc.
• Develop relationships and support with
  manufacturers.
• Participate in regional and national dialogue.
• Prepare for state Product Stewardship legislation
  for unwanted medicines.

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Next Steps Mercury

• Participate in pilot project to expand Thermostat
  Recycling Corporation (TRC) program to public
  facilities.
• Work to find an ongoing product stewardship
  solution for fluorescent compact bulbs and tubes.
• Expand Take it Back Network to collect
  mercury-containing devices.
• Recruit HVAC contractors into TRC program.
• Recruit auto wrecking yards into End of Life
  Vehicles Solutions (ELVS) program.

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Next Steps Paint

• Participate in current national dialogue with
  paint manufacturers lead by the Product
  Stewardship Institute to establish a national
  system to deal with excess paint.
• Participate in regional pilots identified by
  national dialogue.

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Next Steps Beverage Containers

• Coordinate the Washington State Beverage
  Container Recycling Initiative to conduct pilot
  projects to test the use of incentives to
  increase the collection, recovery and recycling
  of used beverage containers in Washington State.
• Track and provide input to the Oregon legislative
  process to amend the bottle bill to include
  product stewardship elements to increase recovery
  of beverage containers.

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Next Steps Tires

• Follow state legislation to ensure that tire
  funds are allocated to pursue product stewardship
  solutions for used tires.
• Monitor developments on tire pile clean up and
  funding.

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Next Steps Legislative Subcommittee

• Monitor legislation in Oregon and Washington to
  support bills that are favorable to product
  stewardship programs and policies.
• Provide an analysis of new bills and recommended
  actions to steering committee agencies and other
  local governments.

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Anticipated Legislation

• PBDE Ban (2007)
• Pharmaceuticals (2008 -2009)
• Specific or All Mercury Containing Devices (2008
  )
• Mercury thermostats
• Mercury switches
• Compact fluorescent lamps and tubes (likely
  financed by fee on incandescent bulbs)
• Tires (2009 - 2010)
• Framework Legislation (2008 2010)
• Paint, Packaging, Others - ?
• Bills in WA, OR, CA and many other states

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Additional Actions Possible

• Develop policy statements for WSAC, WACO, NACO
  etc.
• Establish local government resolutions on EPR.
• Rapid new development in California
• Bring in national/international experts for
  industry forums on cradle-to-cradle, green
  chemistry, meeting EU standards, etc.

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Coordination Many Parties

• The NWPSC shares information and coordinates
  activities with many parties in the public,
  non-profit and private sector.
• U.S. EPA
• Department of Ecology
• Policy Forum
• State Solid Waste Advisory Committee
• Product Stewardship Institute
• Product Policy Institute
• North America Hazardous Materials Management
  Association
• Environmental NGOs WCRC, WEC, WA Toxics Coalition

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Contact Information

• Contact the NWPSC Coordinator with questions and
  comments at [phone]
• Email at
• info_at_productstewardship.net
• Web site
• www.productstewardship.net