WHAT IS E-STEWARDSHIP?
E-product stewardship (or e-stewardship) is an approach to managing the environmental, health, safety, and social impacts of electrical and electronic products throughout their lifecycle, from the design stage right through to production, use, end-of-life management, and back into the circular economy.
Implementing a fuller e-stewardship approach is key to tackling Australia’s growing e-waste problem and a means by which industry can contribute to meeting national waste policy targets including those that relate to:
- reduction in waste generation
- resource recovery
- the use of recycled content in new products and materials
ANZRP has been a strong advocate for a more encompassing e-stewardship approach in Australia. We provide technology companies with a suite of e-stewardship services, including assisting them to meet their stewardship aspirations and obligations. Our members are strong advocates of going beyond compliance and actively seek opportunities to extend the quality and range of sustainability related activities. We also actively engage with industry and the product stewardship community to raise awareness of the importance of product stewardship and advocate for policy that leads to improved outcomes compared to those we currently experience.
GOVERNMENT PROPOSING NEW E-STEWARDSHIP SCHEME
In 2023 The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) released a public discussion paper proposing a new e-product stewardship scheme which would expand upon the existing National Television Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS). At present the existing scheme is limited to accepting televisions, printers, computers, and computer parts and peripherals. The proposed new scheme is intended to expand this to also include:
Two new categories of e-waste:
- Small electrical and electronic equipment (SEEE) – this category covers a wide range of small household appliances from toasters to handheld drills.
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems – this includes all solar panels, inverters, attached cabling, racking and potentially household energy storage batteries.
A new administrative structure with a single scheme administrator
Aside from the expansion to the categories of products to be accepted, the discussion paper also canvasses alternative administrative arrangements to oversee the delivery of the scheme. Principal amongst the proposed changes is that the new scheme would be operated by a single and appointed scheme administrator who would be responsible for delivering the scheme’s outcomes. Each year, the administrator would need to meet obligations relating to the total volume of e-waste recycled, material recovery rates, and minimum access levels to households and small businesses around Australia.
The scheme administrator would contract approved network operators to provide collection sites, logistic and e-waste recycling services. Network operators would make bids to the scheme administrator and compete based on value for money, quality of service, and additional benefits. These benefits could include higher recycling standards, higher data security, or environmental or social contributions.
Liable companies, who previously had a choice of which approved co-regulatory arrangement they would sign on with, such as ANZRP, would be required to join the scheme and pay fees to the scheme administrator to discharge their liability. Liable companies may still choose to select a particular network operator that provides additional benefits, but they would be responsible for any additional fees incurred as part of the arrangement.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
The proposed scheme changes will have significant impacts on the e-waste sector. It will also mean many more companies will be liable, that more e-products are recycled and potentially see new services offered to the public so they can dispose of their e-products more responsibly.
The federal government, through DCCEEW, undertook public consultation on the proposed scheme redesign in 2023. Consultation on the discussion paper has now closed.
If implemented, the changes could potentially come into force in 2025 at the earliest.
More detail on the discussion paper can be found at Regulation for small electrical products and solar photovoltaic systems – Climate (dcceew.gov.au)
If you would like to find out more about the scheme changes, and what it could mean for your business we are happy to assist and provide tailored information. You can contact us at comms@anzrp.com.au.