These slides offer some specific suggestions for things that retailers and other businesses can do to make product stewardship happen.

1. What Can Local Governments Do?
Contents:
These slides offer some additional explanation of product stewardship
focusing on the local government role, as well as specific suggestions for
things that local governments can do to make product stewardship happen.

2. The amount of waste generated has
continued to rise & costs of waste
management continue to rise

3. Local governments are responsible for
dealing with any and all waste that
comes their way.
They have no control over:
- the quantity of waste
- or the materials

4. Our current system is wasting
valuable resources &
And it is expensive.

5. Government-funded programs are still not
collecting all household hazardous waste :
• Local governments don’t
have the budget to
adequately promote &
expand these programs
•People don’t know they
should not throw away
certain goods with their
trash.
Did you know? A 30” TV
contains 8 lbs of lead?

6. Because people do not have adequate
disposal options, taxpayer dollars are
spent to clean up the resulting mess

7. Either picking up goods that have been
illegally discarded

8. Or through environmental remediation
needed to remove the toxic substances
from our drinking water and soils

9. An alternate model:
Product Stewardship
Producers rather than government
assume responsibility for the
management of certain goods
Many businesses are already doing this in
Nebraska on a voluntary basis

10. An alternate model:
Product Stewardship
The Old Way: The New Way:
Government- managed  Businesses manage
programs costs
Government responsibility  Businesses responsible
Visible ‘deposits’  Cost of safe
customers saw on management included
their receipts (ex. tires) in the product’s cost
(like marketing costs)
This public money could be better spent on education
or infrastructure rather than managing unused paint or
tires

11. So how will product stewardship
change local government’s role?
 Choose whether to continue collecting
products
 Get reimbursed for costs to manage
products that are covered by product
stewardship programs
 Focus your resources on other needs in
the community

12. Does this mean local governments won’t
collect waste products any more?
• No! In most cases,
you can CHOOSE
whether to continue
to collect if it works
for you.
• Retailers may also
start to collect the
product(s) as well.

13. How would it work?
Flow of Goods:
Consumers Local Gov’t Producers
• Dispose of • Serve as • Reimburse
goods at collection local gov’t for
collection points collection
centers or (depending • Responsible
curbside on the for
program & transportation
arrangement & recycling of
made with their goods
producers)

14. How would it work?
Flow of Money:
Costs would be included in the purchase price.

15. Start today!
The Call2Recycle program is free to everyone. Simply sign up online
to get a free collection box and when it’s full simply send it in the
mail to the recycling facility (shipping is free). All costs are covered
by battery manufacturers.

16. What can local governments do to
promote product stewardship?
1. Encourage residents to take advantage of existing
programs (mail-back & retail)
2. Provide input to policy makers about how existing
systems are working
3. Advocate for local ordinances and state laws
4. Conduct pilot programs to test
new systems for collection

17. What can local governments do
to promote product
stewardship?
5. Reach out to retailers to build
support, encourage them to
collect
6. Raise awareness/educate your
management
7. Learn about what’s happening
in other states & countries
8. Reach out to manufacturers to
ensure they implement their
national programs in Nebraska