House debates

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

Notices

Product Stewardship Act 2011 (Question No. 251)

Photo of Rebekha SharkieRebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | | Hansard source

asked the Minister for the Environment, in writing, on 25 November 2019:

(1) When will the first review of the Product Stewardship Act 2011 be finalised.

(2) Given that public consultation for the review closed in June 2018, why is the review of the Act taking so long.

(3) When will the submissions to the review of the Act be published on the Department of the Environment and Energy's website.

(4) Why: (a) have no annual product lists been published under the Act since June 2017; (b) were no new products added to the 2017-18 list; and (c) have no mandatory product stewardship schemes been implemented under the Act.

(5) Will proposed stewardship schemes for batteries and photovoltaic systems be implemented under the Act; if so when; if not, why not.

Photo of Sussan LeySussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) The Product Stewardship Act review will be completed in the coming months.

(2) The Coalition Government recognises that product stewardship has a critical role to play in improving Australia's waste management and recycling outcomes. Since public consultation closed, the review has had regard to domestic and international best practice experiences, and has been carefully considering interactions between the Product Stewardship Act 2011 and broader waste policy developments, such as the National Waste Policy (approved by Environment Ministers in December 2018), the National Waste Policy Action Plan (approved by Environment Ministers in November 2019) and the Government's $20 million Product Stewardship Investment Fund.

(3) The submissions to the review will be published on the Department of the Environment and Energy's website following delivery of the review report to the Minister.

(4) a) No new product issues have been brought forward since June 2017.

b) The Coalition Government is encouraging industry to take greater responsibility for its waste and identify problematic products that may be dealt with through the product stewardship framework. On 13 November 2019, I announced my intention to add child car seats to the Priority List under the Product Stewardship Act, as old, worn or damaged seats with reduced structural integrity are less able to protect a child in an accident.

c) Since June 2017, significant progress has been made on items listed on the 2017-18 Product List. The Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) has overseen a voluntary phase-out of microbeads in rinse-off cosmetic and personal care products, as well as work on schemes for batteries (Queensland Department of Environment and Science) and solar photovoltaic panels (Sustainability Victoria) which are being progressed through state governments.

The Government is likely to consider mandatory product stewardship schemes where industry has not been able to address identified product issues.

(5) The Government has set aside funding under the $20 million Product Stewardship Investment Fund for the development of industry-led schemes, which also covers batteries and photovoltaic systems.

At the ninth MEM in November 2019, Ministers agreed to strongly encourage major battery manufacturers, Energizer and Duracell, to participate in a new industry-led Battery Stewardship Scheme to improve the rate of battery recycling. The Government has indicated it will move to a Regulatory Impact Statement process from January 2020.