Product Stewardship

Since 2010, MS2 has provided Secretariat services for the Global Product Stewardship Council, including research, facilitation, governance, membership services, strategy and communications. MS2 Director Russ Martin also serves as Chief Executive Officer of the GlobalPSC.

MS2 examined international product stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR) governance models for incorporation with strategic management and restructuring of the Australian Packaging Covenant.

MS2 led technical content and stakeholder engagement on a national product stewardship framework for e-waste in New Zealand.

MS2 was commissioned by Sustainability Victoria to develop the public policy and business case for battery product stewardship in Australia. The project was conducted in partnership with the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative and Global Product Stewardship Council.

For the Australian Government, MS2 reviewed the proposed methodology for determining recycling and recovery rates under the Draft Australian and New Zealand standard for the collection, storage, transportation and treatment of electronic and electrical equipment. MS2 compared key provisions against international best practice, consulted with recyclers and several manufacturers and prepared a proposed written methodology for calculating material recovery rates to address potential deficiencies in the proposed methodology.

MS2 developed product stewardship strategies for TES-AMM Australia and Battery World Australia to assist the companies in expanding commercial opportunities resulting from new product stewardship frameworks under Australia's Product Stewardship Act 2011. In addition to commercial analysis and strategy, the strategies and their implementation integrated government relations and communications. Building on the product stewardship strategy, MS2 has also verified environment, quality and OH&S practices of the recovery chain, conducted stakeholder consultations and facilitated recycling workshops with franchisees for Battery World.

MS2 was commissioned to conduct research and analysis for a range of international best practice approaches and options for packaging recovery, recycling and litter reduction in support of the Packaging Impacts Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS) conducted for Australia’s Environment Ministers, serving as the Environmental Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC). Various approaches examined in the MS2 report included a national container deposit scheme (CDS), an advance disposal fee and actions targeting away from home recycling, including industry-driven producer responsibility schemes. MS2 also developed Australia-specific models of best practice CDS and an industry-driven producer responsibility scheme for consultations with stakeholders and cost-benefit analysis in the CRIS.

In a project for the Australian Government, MS2 (on behalf of Perchards) consulted with key stakeholders and investigated whether it is feasible and appropriate to develop robust and defensible conversion factors to convert import quantities of televisions, computers and computer peripherals into weight to support the operation of the National Television and Computer Product Stewardship Scheme. The final report is available. MS2 recently updated the conversion factors for the government as a result of refinements to the Customs codes utilised.

MS2 and Perchards were commissioned by the Australian Government to examine a range of product stewardship programs in North America and Europe. The following North American and European schemes were selected for analysis:

• The Dutch scheme for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE);
• The French packaging take-back scheme (including Green Dot implementation);
• The Swiss arrangements for the collection and recycling of packaging waste;
• British Columbia's Encorp Pacific program for beverage containers and WEEE;
• Stewardship Ontario as an Industry Funding Organization;
• Canadian battery programs, such as those led by Waste Diversion Ontario;
• The Belgian take-back scheme for spent batteries;
• US programs for lamps and other mercury-containing products; and
• Adoption and implementation of the Minnesota Electronics Recycling Act 2007.

In addition, MS2 and Perchards critically examined the German and UK packaging schemes. Germany's Green Dot and impacts resulting from Germany's introduction of container deposits on top of comprehensive recycling were specifically addressed. The report featured prominently in the Government's development of a national waste policy for Australia and framework legislation for product stewardship.

The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management commissioned MS2 to conduct a strategic, independent assessment of the Queensland Government's two-year, $1 million Public Place Recycling Program.

MS2 has developed Australian Packaging Covenant Action Plans and other packaging product stewardship initiatives for a range on companies including Bayer, Thermos, Kodak, Sonoco Australia and C & M Antoniou. See below for details.

Reducing Externalities of Waste Disposal
Veolia Environmental Services commissioned MS2 to prepare an extended briefing paper outlining options and rationale for crediting waste disposal operators that reduce the externalities of waste disposal through gas capture, energy recovery and other means.

Recovery Data Collection and Market Analysis

The Australian Packaging Covenant Council and New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) commissioned MS2 to conduct data collection and market analyses of glass recycling on a national and state basis, respectively. The projects build upon MS2's previous efforts for these clients by examining trends in primary and secondary markets for recovered glass. Since 2004, MS2 has provided packaging recovery data collection and analysis for a range of public and private clients, including the National Packaging Covenant Industry Association (NPCIA), NSW EPA and the National Packaging Covenant Council (now the Australian Packaging Covenant Council).

National Packaging Covenant / Australian Packaging Covenant

Our clients on Action Plans, Annual Reports, packaging design reviews and other Packaging Covenant-related activities include (in alphabetical order):

• Amcor Australasia
• Australian Industry Group
• Bambis
• Bayer Australia
• Berts Soft Drinks
• Beverage Industry Environment Council
• C & M Antoniou
• Colmax Glass
• H.A.G. Import Corporation (Australia)
• Kodak Australia
• Naelfran
• National Packaging Covenant Industry Association
• Nokia Australia
• Saxbys Soft Drinks
• Sonoco
• Thermos
• Wimmer Soft Drinks

MS2 has developed Australian Packaging Covenant Action Plans and other packaging product stewardship initiatives for a range on companies including Thermos, Kodak, Sonoco Australia and C & M Antoniou, as well as developing appropriate response strategies and implementation measures.

MS2 provided product stewardship and communications support for the NPCIA, representing eight peak industry bodies and over 350 member companies as signatories to Australia's National Packaging Covenant (the Australian Packaging Covenant's predecessor).

MS2 assisted the NPCIA in strategy and negotiations with Commonwealth and jurisdictional Governments on Covenant targets and completed a detailed study to identify and document the gaps and inconsistencies in the collection, storage and analysis of packaging materials flow data as required by the Covenant. This Gap Analysis became a cornerstone of the Covenant target negotiations. MS2 also assisted in development and promotion of the Covenant and its outcomes through tasks including strategic analysis and advice on:

• communications internally and externally to develop and convey consistent industry positions on Covenant matters.
• liaison and technical support on the Covenant and Action Plans for company and industry signatories.
• representation of NPCIA at peak industry forum.
• refinement of the Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging and development of associated Guidelines.

Regulatory Affairs

• MS2 led regulatory affairs, industry engagement and preparation of Transforming Wood Residues to Bioenergy: A Step-By-Step Guide. The Guide was jointly produced by the NSW Department of Industry – Lands & Forestry and Timber NSW, and supported through the NSW Forest Industries Task Force, to help navigate the regulatory requirements applying to the use of woody biomass for bioenergy production, specifically for forestry and sawmilling residues and uncontaminated wood waste. Through detailed case studies, the Guide also showcased best practice in sustainable wood supply and bioenergy production within the NSW timber industry.
• MS2 assisted Sonoco in promoting awareness of recyclability and other sustainability aspects of composite cans. MS2's consultations throughout Australia and recycling trials involving key stakeholders demonstrated that Sonoco's domestically produced composite cans legally and ethically qualified to use the Mobius loop recycling logo due to their demonstrated recyclability.
• MS2 assisted Colmax Glass in introducing their glass recycling process to governments in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia and securing National Packaging Covenant funding to commence or expand recycling capacity in each state.
• MS2 conducted background research and drafted submissions to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Waste Generation and Resource Efficiency for the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association, Australian Food and Grocery Council and NPCIA. MS2 also provided expert testimony for the Commission on behalf of the Australian Food and Grocery Council.
• Benchmarking exercise of environmental legislation and relevant Codes of Conduct for Goodman Fielder Limited (Australasia's largest food manufacturer).
• Expert testimony before the Parliamentary Inquiry into Waste Management in Tasmania.

Technical and Strategic Support

• Product stewardship and sustainability strategies
• Modelling of economic and environmental impacts of proposed legislation, logistical arrangements, market-based instruments and other activities.
• Research and preparation of submissions in response to proposed legislation or other Government activities.