Environment Protection and Heritage Council

The Australian community has a clear desire for industry to support a healthier environment by exercising producer responsibility to reduce the environmental impacts of its products. Many firms operating in Australia are already being exposed to product stewardship initiatives being implemented overseas. These are aimed at minimising waste, reducing toxicity and improving resource efficiency. These international initiatives vary from fully regulated to fully voluntary.

It is important for Australia to develop a national approach to product stewardship that ensures measurable environmental improvement within the Australian context while maintaining consistency with approaches and outcomes internationally. Voluntary sector initiatives underpinned by a regulatory safety net to capture non-participants (known as co-regulation) is an approach that is supported by industry in Australia.

Discussion Paper
In December 2004, EPHC released a discussion paper titled “Co-regulatory Frameworks for Product Stewardship” for broad consultation. The paper sought feedback on a range of issues, including a proposed co-regulatory model using a NEPM to deliver national consistency. In total, 66 submissions were received from a range of stakeholders, including industry, government, and non-government organisations. The majority of respondents supported the concept of co-regulation and the use of a NEPM. The discussion paper and analysis of submissions can be downloaded below.

NEPM Development
In July 2005, NEPC initiated the development of a NEPM for product stewardship. The NEPM was to consist of a generic framework that establishes guidelines and principles to be applied by governments in determining the merits of a co-regulatory approach for a particular sector, and guides the development of product stewardship agreements for particular sectors. The NEPM was also to include schedules relating to sector-specific product stewardship agreements setting out the requirements for non-participants captured under the regulatory safety net for a particular sector.

Tyres NEPM
In June 2007, NEPC resolved to refine the scope of the proposed product stewardship NEPM to tyres.

In April 2008, EPHC/NEPC agreed to release a consultation package on tyres for public comment. The package outlines a joint industry/government approach to whole-of-life management of tyres. Industry and governments expect the proposed approach to drive innovation, decrease environmental impacts and build end-of-life management costs into product prices.

The consultation package consists of:
• Draft Tyres Product Stewardship Agreement
• Industry Scheme Brochure
• Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement for End-of-Life Tyre Management
• Draft National Environment Protection (Tyres) Measure
• Tyres NEPM Impact Statement
• Tyres NEPM Threshold Study.

These documents can be downloaded below - either individually, or as a whole zip file.

Under this co-regulatory approach, the proposed Tyres Product Stewardship Agreement is the primary instrument for bringing about improved environmental performance in the whole-of-life management of tyres. The agreement provides for the establishment of at least one ‘tyres product stewardship scheme’. The tyre industry proposes to introduce a scheme that focuses on stimulating optimum demand for tyre derived products as a market pull initiative. The Tyres NEPM will guide jurisdictions in the creation of a nationally-consistent regulatory safety net affecting tyre producers who do not sign up to the agreement and are not part of the initial or any subsequent schemes approved under the agreement.

Public consultation
EPHC/NEPC encourages submissions on the tyres consultation package.

Written submissions should be sent to:

Ms Monina Gilbey
Project Officer
NEPC Service Corporation
Level 5, 81 Flinders Street
Adelaide SA 5000

Telephone (08) 8419 1200
Facsimile (08) 8224 0912

Submissions will be accepted by e-mail. Click here to send an e-mail

The closing date for submissions is Friday, 11 July 2008.

All submissions are public documents unless clearly marked “confidential” and may be made available to other interested parties, subject to Freedom of Information Act provisions. An electronic form for lodging comments is available below. Consideration of submissions will be facilitated if provided in this format. Submissions can, however, be made in other formats if desired (eg hardcopy, CD-ROM or by email).

To allow ease of photocopying, hardcopy submissions should be unbound. Electronic submissions should preferably be provided in Microsoft Word format - if provided in PDF, a Microsoft Word version may be requested.

Public consultation meetings will be held around Australia. Click here for information on public fora.

Title	Size	Download
Draft Tyres Product Stewardship Agreement	353kb
Industry Scheme Brochure	1.4MB
Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement for End-of-Life Tyre Management	602kb
Draft National Environment Protection (Tyres) Measure	83kb
Tyres NEPM Impact Statement	368kb
Tyres NEPM Threshold Study	336kb
Submission Template	67kb
Entire Draft Tyres NEPM consultation package (all six documents plus the submissions template)	2.8MB
Draft Tyres NEPM - slides presented at public consultation meetings	185kb

Title	Size	Download
Co-regulatory Frameworks for Product Stewardship - An Industry Discussion Paper	147kb
Co-regulatory Frameworks for Product Stewardship - Analysis of Submissions to Discussion Paper	409kb

Last Modified: 23/6/08

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