Who are the NZPSC?

The New Zealand Product Stewardship Council (NZPSC) is an independent voice for effective product stewardship on behalf of the wider community.  We support inclusive government, industry and community engagement around the investigation and implementation of product stewardship and related regulation, similar to successful international examples. We work to ensure programs are developed that benefit the whole of society, including through:

• Upholding the public interest by providing an independent voice to advise and work with government and industry on effective product waste strategies;
• Maintaining a forum for the exchange of information and ideas to build capacity, trust and knowledge among government, industry and community stakeholders;
• Providing leadership on mandatory product stewardship in New Zealand by researching, designing, and prioritising regulatory product stewardship programs;
• Encouraging and supporting industry on proposed product stewardship programs in New Zealand based on those that have been successful overseas;
• And building community awareness of the costs and environmental impacts of product waste and how to minimise these through purchasing decisions.

Why is there a need for the NZPSC?

Product Stewardship is a key component of the Waste Minimisation Act (2008). The Act enables the establishment of voluntary and mandatory Product Stewardship programs that transfer the responsibility and cost of product waste disposal from local authorities and ratepayers to producers and consumers. Product Stewardship makes recovery and recycling a cost of doing business and creates an incentive for products to be redesigned to maximise recyclability and minimise environmental impacts.

Because Product Stewardship is a powerful waste minimisation tool it is in the interests of the wider community for its promotion and monitoring to be held in community-representative hands. Experience has shown that without strong representation community interests inevitably come second to those of Industry.

Currently the only organised view offered to Central Government on product waste issues comes from those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. The NZPSC provides a forum for local authorities and other organisations dealing with the adverse effects of waste to share information and provide high-level input into the development of Product Stewardship programmes.

Steering committee

The NZPSC steering committee is comprised of: