ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies some of the trends that are likely to influence the way that these responsibilities are defined and how companies respond. The increasing focus on a "circular economy" for example, will add further weight to stakeholder calls for greater producer responsibility, while providing more intellectual rigour to debates about how products should be designed, used and managed at end of life. Product stewardship policies will need to adapt to rising prices for many commodities, which will influence the operation of recycling markets. While commodity markets are often volatile, the longer-term trend is for prices to increase, driven by a rising population, increasing demand for products and services, and a finite supply of non-renewable resources. According to Scott Cassel from the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI), the number of take-back laws has increased significantly in the US. E-waste laws have been implemented or are being considered in a more jurisdictions.
