The Northwest Product Stewardship Council

The Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC) is a coalition of government organizations in Washington and Oregon that operates as an unincorporated association of members and is comprised of a Steering Committee, Associates and Subcommittees.

Vision

We live in a society where people live well and consume sustainably. Manufacturers are stewards for their products and contribute to a healthy and vibrant society, where waste and toxicity are minimized and products are designed to be reused or recycled.

Mission

The NWPSC's mission is to enhance Washington’s and Oregon’s reuse, recycling and waste management systems by working with the waste and recycling industry, consumers, manufacturers and others to connect producers with the costs associated with the end-of-life management of their products to provide incentives for reducing waste, increasing recyclability, and reducing the toxicity of their products.

Problem Statement

The way we make, sell and use products is wasteful, not sustainable and results in harm to human health, quality of life, and pollution of air and water. Today, much of what is manufactured and used is a complex mix of materials, sometimes including toxic and hazardous substances. Because manufacturers have no connection to, or responsibility for, the end-of-life management of what they produce, there is often no incentive to design products that are more reusable, more recyclable and less toxic. The result is lost resources and squandered opportunities to create jobs and other economic benefits.

About this Website

The content of this website includes product stewardship activities in the states of Oregon and Washington. In an effort to harmonize legislation and programs among jurisdictions on the west coast, we also track the product stewardship activities in California and British Columbia, Canada.