The Product Stewardship Act Review needs your voice

Photo Anthony Strong

Do you have time to spare before 29 June? Because I need your help.

The Product Stewardship Act Review is underway and for the first time the public have been asked to tell the Government how we want our products made and disposed of. This is our chance to stand up and ask for a circular economy. But the only way it will get there is if we all push for this. Are you with me?

The Product Stewardship Act provides the framework to effectively manage the environmental, health and safety impacts of products, and in particular those impacts associated with the disposal of products.

Product stewardship is an approach to managing the impacts of different products and materials. It acknowledges that those involved in producing, selling, using and disposing of products have a shared responsibility to ensure those products or materials are managed in a way that reduces their impact, throughout their lifecycle, on the environment and on human health and safety - The Department of the Environment and Energy

Why do you need my help?

I'm a firm believer that we can't all avoid over packaged or poorly designed products as the the only method to moving towards a circular economy. It's not fair or easy for everyone. Business and Government need to step up and make changes, not lump it all onto our shoulders to do better. Our Governments have the greatest ability to enforce standards that will help minimise waste. Government can place requirements on manufacturers to become responsible for the stuff they make.

Look at it this way, if we don't tell the government and businesses we want, the problem will only get worse because they will think we are ok with how the system is now. I don' know about you, but being sold products that are unrepairable, fused shut with toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, forcing us to buy new instead of simply fixing something I own is not OK. This is just one example of thousands where precious resources are being used to make stuff designed to be purposely thrown away. We are stuck on a conveyor belt of waste and frankly, I want to get off and change the system. There is another way to live, don't you think? If you agree then you can help by flexing your citizen muscles and write a submission asking for a change.

I'll put the kettle on and get started... but where do I start? Government websites can be a bit confusing!

Great, you'll need a cup of tea. But don't worry you should be able to finish and send a submission before your cuppa gets cold. You are not the only one who finds things like this confusing. Some very helpful people at Zero Waste Victoria and Plastic Bag Free Victoria have created simple and easy to follow guides on how to make a personal submission. Follow their instructions via the links below:

www.zerowastevictoria.org/2018/06/19/how-to-make-a-submission-to-review-the-product-stewardship-act/

www.plasticbagfreevictoria.org/product-stewardship-act-review/ 

Send your submission to wastepolicy@environment.gov.au email by 5:00pm 29 June 2018 

I'm going to log off and make my own submission now. Thank you in advance for taking some time out of your day to make difference. Your voice is important.