Printing Industries is co-ordinating a major initiative to diffuse the need for government regulation of office paper disposal to landfill. It is working with industry stakeholders to create a self managed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for the printing industry.

Governments internationally are moving to regulate paper disposal with possible major repercussions and costs to their paper and printing industries. In Australia the NSW Government is leading the push for some form of regulation. 

'Office Paper' is defined by the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation as comprising all paper products with the exception of tissues and cardboard.

The NSW Government recently completed a study showing that when expressed by weight, 24 per cent of all material destined to landfill is accounted for by paper and newspaper products.

The government wrote to Printing Industries highlighting a report prepared by the Expert Reference Group on Extended Producer Responsibility.

The report recommended:

• Elevating office paper to a high priority waste. Currently it is classified as a low priority waste.
• Placing reporting obligations on the paper and printing industries.
• Recommending a draft product stewardship concept to be prepared and submitted to the NSW Government by March 2006.
• Recommending detailed product stewardship plan to be prepared and presented to the NSW Government by October 2006.

The NSW Government has also made it clear it will be holding discussions with other state governments to make the EPR initiative a national one. If the industry does not come up up with a satisfactory solution, the NSW government has indicated it will push for national legislation.

Printing Industries is already working with key industry stakeholders to come up with an industry solution to the Office Papers issue that will satisfy government concerns and avoid the need for regulation of industry practices.

Printing Industries Manager, Industry & Commercial Policy, Hagop Tchamkertenian, said that a government imposed solution would mean significantly higher compliance costs and a lack of industry control.

"This would be highly undesirable.We are working to ensure the industry has input into providing an industry based solution it is comfortable with.

 "Such a scheme will minimise the impact to participants of any government legislative intervention."

Progress has already been made with proposals to establish a producer responsibility organisation. A draft operational budget has been prepared and circulated to the stakeholders. Recruitment is also under way for a CEO to head the proposed producer responsibility organisation.

This person will be responsible for setting up the operational aspects of the producer responsibility organisation, helping to  raise funds and engage government, industry participants and other key stakeholders.

The CEO will also help develop and implement the EPR strategy for office papers and ensure it is communicated to various stakeholders. Work is also progressing on drafting a constitution for the proposed producer responsibility organisation.

Printing Industries National Council reconfirmed its support for the EPR projects at the November meeting with approval of annual funding and ongoing in-kind support.

For more information contact Hagop Tchamkertenianhagop@printnet.com.au