A landmark Australian study of the benefits and effectiveness of product stewardship has resulted in six new data reports detailing how stewardship can provide a pathway to transition to a circular economy.
The reports provide timely evidence as governments, businesses, and the community place greater emphasis on creating a sustainable future.
The findings also confirm the importance of product stewardship as a major business-focused approach to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials circulating in the economy, regenerate natural systems and decarbonise the economy.
The Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence and consortium partners will unpack the content in the six reports during three webinars in July and August.
Study co-author Dr Nick Florin, Institute for Sustainable Futures, said the reports and webinars would be useful for policy makers, product stewards and business decision makers.
“This is the most comprehensive data set in Australia on product stewardship with insights around what stewardship has achieved and how it can be extended and made more effective,” Florin said.
“There is an intense amount of policy work underway as Australia continues to search for answers to our environmental problems, including the impacts of production, consumption, and waste generation. These reports can help inform the work of Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group, the work of State Government environment agencies and for brands and industries looking for sustainable solutions.”
The six reports are:
- Evaluating Stewardship Benefits and Effectiveness, Summary Report
- Product stewardship benefits assessment 2022: General population report
- Product stewardship benefits assessment 2022: Business report
- Product stewardship benefits assessment 2022: Local Government report
- Effectiveness and Benefits of Product Stewardship: Themes from 60 Qualitative Interviews with Stewardship Actors and Experts.
- Environmental, social and economic benefits of product stewardship initiatives in Australia.
The studies were conducted by UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures in partnership with the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence. UTS was funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
All reports are now available on www.stewardshipexcellence.com.au
Register for the webinars via https://stewardshipexcellence.com.au/events/.