Nominations are being sought for the Federal Environment Minister’s product stewardship priority list for 2022-23.
In a departure from previous practice, the public is being encouraged to contribute suggestions, along with industry and governments.
The annual list identifies products and materials for which industry is expected to take product stewardship action to reduce the environmental, social, and health impacts of their manufactured goods and materials across the whole life cycle.
Textiles and problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics were added to last year’s list, and plans are future product stewardship actions and schemes are now unfolding.
Batteries were removed from the 2021-22 list, as Australia’s first national battery recycling scheme will be launched in early 2022.
Examples of past lists can be found on the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment’s website.
Click here to contribute to the next list. Submissions close on 17 December.
In other stewardship news, the Australian Fashion Council is getting $1 million in federal grant funding to develop an industry scheme that fosters durable and easily recyclable textile design and manufacture.
The AFC will lead a consortium of fibre growers, designers, manufacturers, labels, and textile waste managers in the design and development of the scheme.
The funding has been awarded through the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund.