ABSTRACT
Product stewardship is the principle that everyone involved in the manufacture, distribution, or consumption of an artefact shares responsibility for its environmental and social impacts over its life cycle. This chapter will present the history of product stewardship and its theoretical underpinnings in business ethics and management. It will also take a more critical view of product stewardship from a broader social perspective. While regarded by many in government and industry as a valuable tool in the fight against growing levels of waste and associated environmental impacts, it may not be sufficient. One of the paradoxes that need to be considered is the way that stewardship policies can help to support or justify growing levels of production and consumption as “business as usual.” Product stewardship approaches may also be less effective as products and services become increasingly complex in a more circular economy. It may become more difficult to assign producer responsibility when products are re-purposed for a second life, or to manage the risks of hazardous chemicals in products that may be recycled into new products. This highlights the value of the more inclusive whole of supply chain approach.
