Product Stewardship is a code of conduct whose objective is to control risks throughout the life cycle of a product.
The concept of Product Stewardship is the application of Responsible Care to products. Its objective consists of informing clients, users and the public at large about possible risks in chemical products. It therefore involves a knowledge and command of risks linked to chemical products throughout their life cycle: from the research laboratory to development to the purchase of raw materials on through the production process, followed by the transport and distribution of intermediate or finished products and beyond.
The exact aim of Product Stewardship is, in an effective and economically viable way, to reduce the negative incidence of chemical products on the environment, security and health throughout their life cycle from "the cradle to the grave" ("cradle to grave approach"). In concrete terms, the Product Stewardship is applied in the following steps:
• The identification of potential dangers that a product could present. These can be of physical chemical, toxicological or ecotoxicological origin.
• The evaluation of risks during production, transport, storage and packaging of raw materials and finished products.
• Taking into account additional risks linked to applications and possible later modifications or transformations of the product.
In fact, inappropriate manipulation can, during the life cycle of many products, present health hazards to workers, consumers and/or for the environment. A responsible attitude on the part of different participants reduces a product’s risks and negative effects from as early as the first stages of the development process.
Product Stewardship reflects the efforts of chemical industry to promote conscientious and responsible use of its products through different tools such as quality safety charts, clear instructions for use and a strict and uniform labeling system. The implementation of the REACH European legislation falls into this framework.