Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011

The chief executive may include in the final priority statement, for a particular product included in the final statement, an invitation (a scheme invitation) for persons to submit a proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme for accreditation.

However, in including a scheme invitation, the chief executive must have regard to the following—

whether the product can be effectively managed under a voluntary product stewardship scheme;

whether an approved program is in existence for the product and whether the program is being appropriately implemented.

A scheme invitation must state—

the period, of at least 18 months, within which any proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme would have to be submitted for accreditation; and

the expected outcomes from any proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme; and

that if no voluntary product stewardship scheme is accredited for the product, a regulation may be made to establish a regulated product stewardship scheme for the product.

A scheme invitation may state—

any limitations to the scope of a proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme, including for example geographic or business type or size limitations; and

other matters relevant to a voluntary product stewardship scheme for the particular product.

The chief executive is not stopped from subsequently granting a single extension of the period mentioned in subsection (3)(a) for not more than 1 year at the request of the proposed scheme manager for a proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme.