Trends and looking ahead
- Legislation
Governments around the world are increasingly developing legislation for environmental issues, from regulations that target specific substances of concern, to increasing policy emphasis on the sustainability of products and services. Two active regions that have taken the lead in this area include Japan and the European Union (EU).
Perhaps most well known are the EU directives on end-of-life vehicles (ELV); Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE); Restriction of Hazardous Substances, (ROHS); and Regulation Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, (REACH)
The more general Integrated Product Policy (IPP) suggested by the European Commission and some other member countries includes ecodesign, green public procurement, ecolabelling and other product life cycle based concepts. Companies with a Life Cycle Management system in place will have the best advantage.
Most significantly, businesses wanting to gain access to these environmentally sensitive markets will need to demonstrate their environmental credentials when negotiating supply contracts, plus abide by these regulatory requirements. Life Cycle Management can provide a means for demonstrating these credentials and meeting compliance requirements.
Additionally, in Australia, there are a number of significant co-regulatory frameworks established or under development between Government and industry sectors that target specific products and wastes. The National Packaging Covenant has been in place since 2000. More recently, there has been an increasing focus on products such as plastic bags and appliances such as televisions, computers, and mobile phones.
Articles of Interest - Australia
- National Packaging Covenant
- Media release on National Packaging Covenant and recent focus on Mobile Phones, Computers, and TVs (1)
- Media release on National Packaging Covenant and recent focus on Mobile Phones, Computers, and TVs (2)
Articles of Interest - Overseas Trends
- Trends in Japan
- New European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Legislation
- End of Life Vehicles
