Product stewardship guidance

Product stewardship guidance

Keywords BCF,Coatings

The Guidance on the Product Stewardship Code of the Coatings Care programme has been issued by the BCF. The Code applies the principles of Coatings Care to products and aims to ensure that health, safety and environmental effects are taken into consideration as integral part of product formulation. It also seeks to ensure that end-users are provided with adequate information on safe use and disposal of the industry's products.

The Code is multi-disciplinary, with a shared responsibility between those in product formulation, manufacturing, marketing and customer support functions.

The Code, based on a worldwide model and agreed by the International Paint and Printing Ink Council,sets out what should be done. The Guidance, developed by members of the BCF Coatings Care Task Force with input from Coatings Care Co-ordinators, offers advice on implementing the Code. Owing to the unique, wide-ranging nature of the Code, the Guidance includes advice on each management practice and gives assistance with introducing the Product Stewardship concept. This includes a section on how Product Stewardship relates to each job function and a matrix of Product Stewardship in a product's lifecycle. Answers are given to those questions most likely to be asked and the Guidance also suggests the content for a company brochure on Product Stewardship, for internal use.

The package of Code and Guidance has been sent to Co-ordinators in all companies which have signed up to Coatings Care. Non-signatory companies have been informed of its publication. The Code and Guidance will also be available to view and download from the BCF website for members only.

For details of how to sign up to Coatings Care, or for further information, please contact Wayne Smith at BCF. Tel: +44 (0) 1372 360660; Fax: +44 (0) 1372 376069.