Building Capacity for Product Stewardship in Nebraska

What is product stewardship?

a principle that everyone

involved in the life cycle of a

product has a responsibility to

reduce the health and

environmental impacts of that

product

How many products do you use in 1 day?

In one week?

In one year?

The average American throws away 1,600 pounds of trash each year

That means by age 25 you’ve thrown

away 40,000 pounds

Photo courtesy: George Hall

By the time you’re 50 you’ve thrown away the 80,000 pounds – or the weight of a Boeing 737

And that’s just one person!

For all of Nebraska, it adds up to a lot of stuff.

Last year alone we threw out the equivalent of:

431,188 pounds batteries

26,589,961 pounds of electronics

Unfortunately, the full impact of the

products we buy is much larger than

what we throw in our garbage can.

We can’t see the full impacts of the products we buy

1. Before we buy them

2. After we throw them away

Over 1/3 of U.S. greenhouse gas emissionscome from products and packaging

Product stewardship means looking at the impact of a product:

from the time it is raw materials

until it is discarded

Raw Materials

Manufacturing Transportation Retail Use Disposal/Recycling

everyone has a role to playfrom those who make it

to those who sell it

to thosewho buy it

ProducersProducers

DistributersDistributers

Retailers Retailers

ConsumersConsumers

Waste Management Waste Management

Responsibility:To produce goods that are safe for their customers & the environment

Responsibility:To produce goods that are safe for their customers & the environment

everyone has a role to play

from those who make it

to those who sell it to

thosewho buy it

ProducersProducers

DistributorsDistributors

Retailers Retailers

ConsumersConsumers

Waste Management Waste Management

Responsibility:-Buy and use the best product -Dispose or recycle all goods responsibly

Responsibility:-Buy and use the best product -Dispose or recycle all goods responsibly

everyone has a role to play

from those who make it

to those who sell it to

thosewho buy it

ProducersProducers

DistributorsDistributors

Retailers Retailers

ConsumersConsumers

Waste Management Waste Management

Retailers and other businesses have a unique ability to educate their customers and their suppliers about opportunities to reduce unintended environmental and health impacts from their products, and to help provide solutions for collection and recycling.

Retailers and other businesses have a unique ability to educate their customers and their suppliers about opportunities to reduce unintended environmental and health impacts from their products, and to help provide solutions for collection and recycling.