Why Products?

Products are the link between problems having to do with resources, industrial materials, toxic chemicals and energy. They permeate all spheres of public and private activity. But products are something the public understands and deals with every day. Thus, products are a tangible focal point for communication of environmental information to the public and for engaging both producers and consumers in an informed dialogue on environmental solutions.

What are 'Product Policies'?

Product-focused environmental policies, or ‘product policies’ for short, drive externalized ecological and social costs into the prices of products. The principles of polluter pays and extended producer responsibility underlie many product policies. Product policies include measures aimed at greening production as well as consumption -- including ending virgin material and waste disposal subsidies, ecological taxes, eco-labeling and green procurement.

Why Now?

The time is ripe for new product policy approaches in North America. The European Union, Japan, Canada and other countries are adopting product policies for electronics, vehicles, packaging and chemicals. For example, recently adopted EU directives require automakers and electrical and electronics manufacturers to pick up the tab for collecting and safely disposing of their products at end of life. In response, these industries are exploring ‘design for disassembly’ as a way of recovering value from the products at end of life and reducing recovery costs. In a globalized economy, harmonization of North American policy with that of other trading areas is of critical importance.