Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence

Imagine a future without #furniture waste where the tax system rewards circular thinking and producer responsibility is the industry standard. This is the refreshing vision that Sasha Titchkosky is embracing with vigour and understandable impatience. As the co-founder and CEO of Koskela, one of Australia's most innovative companies designing and supplying furniture for workplace, education and residential environments. Sasha brings to life the claims of being a purpose-driven business and underscores the need for financial and regulatory frameworks to make #circularity a compelling business decision, where product #sustainability and associated services are inherent in the cost of running an #ethical and environmentally-oriented business.   In her article, Sasha demonstrates a #systems view of what’s needed to create a future of commercial furniture with the knowledge that everything we create can have a second, third, or even fourth life where it flows from one workspace to another, evolving, adapting, and remaining in use for decades. Whether it’s about tax reform, regulated #productstewardship or new business models, Sasha provides a template for interventions that can transform the commercial furniture and #fitout industries beyond the spin.   Read Sasha’s article in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs. https://lnkd.in/gCMJdw-m #changemaker #furniture #commercial #residential #sustainability #circulareconomy #PaaS #FaaS #design #gooddesign #PSpectives

For those interested in #PFAS related issues. Thanks for sharing this Michael Chanell

Troy Rowe is the founder of ReSource E-Waste Recycling and he is well-placed to talk about the hidden danger of embedded battery products and the current crisis confronting waste management systems. Fires in collection trucks and recycling facilities is just the start. His company was founded to develop Australia’s most efficient and effective e-waste recycling solutions, while also addressing the risks of embedded battery products, both for ReSource and to offer these solutions to the broader recycling industry through GreenQuip.   Troy believes the root of the problem lies in awareness, #infrastructure, and a lack of #incentives, noting that many consumers unknowingly dispose of battery-containing products in household bins, unaware of the risks posed by improper handling. He is very clear about the actions required, including simple, consistent messaging across products to help improve proper disposal practices.   Troy goes on to emphasise the need incentives to maximise product returns and for producers and retailers to step up and offer convenient take-back schemes that can help prevent fires and recover valuable materials for reuse. And like many other key stakeholders Troy believes that #governments should mandate #ExtendeProducerResponsibility for embedded battery devices to hold #producers financially and physically accountable for end-of-life management.   #embedded #batteries #fires #safety #consumereducation #resourcerecovery #takeback #schemes #EPR #WARR #ps   https://lnkd.in/gcB5MEGz

The Australian Bedding Stewardship Council (ABSC) is very focused on reducing the environmental impacts resulting from thousands of tonnes of bedding ending up in landfill every year, with mattresses causing the most significant issues. ABSC's Director of Stakeholder Engagement and Transformation - Krisandra Knight, Certified Change Leader, CSPO, shares some views on what’s needed to ensure that the bedding industry remains environmentally and commercially sustainable today and into the future.   Krisandra talks about the need to increase participation in product stewardship schemes and hold producers accountable for their products throughout the entire lifecycle from #design to disposal. Consumer education that informs and engages the public about the environmental impacts of mattresses is also seen as a high priority, including more information on #repair, #reuse, and recycling. Harnessing the power of sustainable #procurement in relevant sectors and businesses is yet another vital activity for ABSC as part of their ongoing strategy.   Read Krisandra’s article in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs.   #bedding #manufacturers #retailers #mattresses #landfill #environment #recycling #collaboration #consumereducation #circulareconomy Kylie Roberts-Frost https://lnkd.in/g9-AxRz7

Solution-oriented repair and reuse as well as relentless persistence characterise what Annette Brodie has created through The Reconnect Project – a charity that distributes refurbished mobile tech to people in need. As the founder and chief executive officer, Annette is making #repair a priority circular economy intervention on-the-ground through job creation, training, waste reduction and product life extension.   Annette’s team has considerable knowledge and experience in establishing and operating repair and #reuse initiatives, and this includes creating their own circular economy hierarchy where repair is the top priority, followed by #partsharvesting and materials recycling as the very last response.   The Reconnect Project not only provides a platform that can be supported by corporates and public sector agencies, it also underscores the relevance or repair and #refurbishment as part of a more comprehensive product stewardship approach that can be adopted and supported by #brands #manufacturers and retailers. Read Annette's article in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs. #productstewardship #socialbenefit #training #skills #sustainability #mobilephones #laptops #ICT #digitaldivide #wasteprevention #wastereduction #circulareconomy https://lnkd.in/guJrWZmN

Paul Rosenberg Vella is dedicated to revolutionising the way waste is viewed in the #construction industry. As the co-founder and director of REVERT GROUP, Paul is a seasoned leader in practical circularity for the demolition, #construction and #fitout industries.    More specifically Paul talks about embedding #design for circularity; strengthening regulatory and voluntary frameworks; and creating robust collection, sorting, and processing #infrastructure. He understands the importance of transformative solutions and believes that #manufacturers, builders, architects, and other relevant stakeholders, need to take greater responsibility for the entire #lifecycle of #products.   Read Paul's article in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs.   #productstewardship #buildings #demolition #fitout #collaboration #circulareconomy https://lnkd.in/gCM78d-X

Gayle Sloan is the CEO of the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia. In her own words she believes “Australia desperately needs #supplychain regulation, not rhetoric and lazy policy announcements.”   Gayle continues to be a determined advocate on behalf of her industry and understands the significance of mandatory #productstewardship regulation, lifecycle thinking, the use of domestic recycled materials, and the elimination of hazardous chemicals among other objectives.   Read Gayle’s frank article in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs.   #WARR #recycledcontent #markets #mandatory #regulation #hazardoussubstances #durability #reuse #repair #design #pspectives

Most people have a view on the pros and cons of #plastics, from a general distaste for the material through to acknowledging the benefits in specific product applications. Whether you’re a professional working with polymers or a consumer making everyday choices, or both, views can be polarising. Dayne Steggles shares a very personal perspective about plastics and a changing tide of how youth and the next generation view plastics, their value and how they relate to other materials. He is not only forthright about the role of plastics in society (and in our bodies), but he also believes that Australia is well overdue for ‘real’ plastics stewardship.   Read Dayne’s contribution in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs.   #packaging #polymers #productstewardship #stewardship #producerresponsibility #pspectives

This looks like an important forum and will hopefully discuss the impact of churn in fit-outs and the extent to which waste prevention and furniture stewardship can be achieved at scale. Great to see solution providers like Paul Rosenberg Vella involved.

When it comes to advocacy on #vapes and tobacco waste, Shannon Mead is sharply focused and well-informed. As the executive director of charity No More Butts, he has been raising the need for a #producerresponsibility scheme for #tobacco products such as #cigarettefilters since 2020. His article provides observations on the challenges and opportunities, as well as insights on what's required to achieve positive impact in these problematic product categories. Read Shannon's article in 'PSpectives' - the Centre's new platform featuring solution-focused producers and brands, service providers, associations, PSOs, policy-makers and advisers, practitioners, researchers and NGOs. #vapes #vapingdevices #cigarettes #butts #filters #wastereduction #pspectives