2020
The Australian Government has partnered with industry and academia to establish a new Centre of Excellence to drive industry-led product stewardship action in Australia. The Centre of Excellence is supporting business to better manage the environmental impacts of their products, and help Australia to achieve its ambitious target to increase the resource recovery rate to 80 per cent by 2030.
Product stewardship
Australians want smarter and better waste management and recycling to improve environmental outcomes and keep resources in the economy for as long as possible.
Product stewardship encourages shared responsibility between producers, users and governments to better manage the impacts of products and material streams through their life cycle. It reduces waste generation through better design and manufacture of products, for example by using materials that are easier to recover, repair and recycle.
Centre of Excellence
A consortium bringing together the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures, the Australian Industry Group and Cox Inall Communications will operate Australia’s first Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence.
Collectively this group brings a wealth of experience and access to nationwide business networks and expertise across circular economy research and product stewardship policy, operations and advocacy, stakeholder and indigenous engagement; and strategic communications.
Supporting industry
The Centre of Excellence helps achieve best practice product stewardship, supporting Australia’s transition towards a circular economy. It provides practical support, mentoring and robust technical guidance to enable businesses to participate in product stewardship schemes and mainstream circular economy thinking in everyday business decisions.The Centre will draw on advice from a panel of experts with vast experience in:
- product design and sustainability
- product life cycle assessment and management
- supply chain and logistics management
- digital technologies and tools, including the Internet of Things applications
- legal expertise on environment, resources and competition issues.
The Centre also builds consumer awareness of the benefits of choosing environmentally sustainable products, and works closely with the Australian Government to encourage and celebrate the best of the best in Australian stewardship innovation and performance, through awards and public recognition.
The Centre of Excellence is supported by a $1 million investment from the Australian Government. It commenced operation in early 2021.