Product stewardship centre of excellence opens its doors

A federal government-funded centre of excellence to help develop new product stewardship schemes and expand existing schemes was launched this week.

Based in Sydney, the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence will be operated by the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures and the Australian Industry Group.

Rose Read, currently CEO of the National Waste and Recycling
Industry Council (NWRIC), will be the centre’s first director.

Ms Read said: “The centre’s role will be to support and
mentor these businesses to become better product stewards by providing
practical guidance, decision-making tools, training and development
opportunities such as masterclasses for executives, webinars and one on one
mentoring”.

 The centre will draw
on advice from a panel of experts with 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; and
• legal expertise on environment, resources and
  competition issues.

The Federal Government allocated $1 million from the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund to establish the centre.

Ms Read says it will also “work closely with the Federal Government and all jurisdictions [and] provide objective and independent advice on the effectiveness of product stewardship across Australia as well as priority areas for action”.