What is Product Stewardship and how it may affect your business

In a world shifting rapidly toward circular economy principles, Product Stewardship is emerging as a crucial strategy for future-proofing your business. Governments, industries, and communities are recognising that reducing environmental and human health impacts starts well before a product reaches end-of-life and responsibility doesn’t end at the point of sale. So, what exactly is product stewardship, where is it being adopted globally, and how can your organisation prepare for what’s coming? More importantly, how can ChemAlert’s new Product Stewardship features help?

What is Product Stewardship?

Product stewardship is the approach where anyone involved in the life of a product—designers, manufacturers, retailers, and even consumers—takes shared responsibility for managing its health, safety, and environmental impacts. Unlike traditional waste-focused models, product stewardship covers the entire product lifecycle: from design and material sourcing, through manufacturing and usage, to end-of-life reuse, recycling, or safe disposal. The product Stewardship concept goes beyond Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which typically focuses only on post-consumer waste. Product stewardship applies from cradle to grave, aligning with sustainability goals and increasing regulatory expectations worldwide.

International adoption: a global movement

Germany was one of the first nations to implement formal product stewardship, introducing its packaging ordinance in 1991. This ground-breaking legislation established extended producer responsibility for packaging waste, with the Duales System Deutschland (DSD) managing the collection and recycling obligations. Since then, the product stewardship model has expanded to include multiple competing systems, with other countries in the EU, North America, and Asia have followed implementing similar regulations.

Australia’s evolving approach

While Australia has not yet fully implemented a nationwide product stewardship model like Germany, momentum is building. The NSW Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025, allows for regulation of products across their entire lifecycle, with requirements like action plans, annual reporting, and performance audits. 

Federally, the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 outlines national stewardship frameworks and includes successful initiatives such as the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS), The Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme ( POS), and the Australian Packaging Covenant. 

The Commonwealth minister’s priority list identifies products that may require future regulation if voluntary stewardship is lacking. All Australian states and territories are working towards nationally aligned schemes, recognising the shared responsibility needed to reduce waste and environmental harm.

Why it matters to your business

Product Stewardship isn’t just a regulatory checkbox—it’s an opportunity to build more resilient, transparent, and sustainable business practices. Companies that prepare now will benefit from compliance confidence in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, stronger alignment with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals, improved customer trust and brand value, access to new markets demanding sustainable products and supply chains, and reduced risk from hazardous materials and better workplace safety.

Introducing ChemAlert’s Product Stewardship features

To support businesses as stewardship expectations grow, RMT Global is proud to introduce a new Product Stewardship in ChemAlert. This module empowers businesses to make smarter chemical and product decisions—not only to comply with regulations but to protect people, processes, and the planet.

Product Stewardship in action

Track chemicals from acquisition to disposal, ensuring they’re used responsibly and flagged for phase-out where needed. Highlight safer products with reduced environmental and human health risks. Align with global standards like REACH, GHS, and TSCA to reduce compliance risk. Access ingredient-level insights, including proprietary and hazardous components. Support ESG and CSR reporting with transparent lifecycle and risk data.

Key benefits

Promotes responsible chemical use by evaluating safety, substitution potential, and sustainability. Boosts transparency and accountability by supporting audits, stakeholder reporting, and internal governance. Reduces environmental and health risks by enabling informed decisions backed by lifecycle impact insights.

Looking ahead

As more industries and jurisdictions embrace product stewardship, it’s no longer a question of if your business will be affected—but when. Taking proactive steps now will ensure you're ahead of the curve. With ChemAlert’s Product Stewardship features, you can take real, measurable action today to future-proof your operations and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow.

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Want to see ChemAlert’s product stewardship module in action? Book a demo or contact us to learn more.