A global perspective on environmentally related product legislation and regulations

Product related environmental laws and regulations are increasing at a rapid rate throughout the world. Individual countries have, or are proposing legislation for addressing issues such as product take back, energy efficiency, chemical prohibitions, hazardous materials, eco-taxes and eco-labels. The proliferation of individual country specific laws represents major challenges for companies selling into the international market place. Additionally, the proliferation of these policies may very well be preventing the kind of real environmental progress that harmonization, collaboration and coordination could bring about. Multinational companies, and all stakeholders who have an interest in environmental progress, need to contribute to the shaping of environmental public policy in their major worldwide markets by promoting consensus on, and the use of guiding principles in policy formation. This paper includes: (1) an overview of the current global legislative and regulatory environment, (2) challenges and suggestions for addressing the proliferation and complexity of these new and proposed requirements, and (3) Hewlett-Packard Company's approach to addressing those challenges, and, (4) a call for increasing efforts among appropriate international organizations to seek harmonization and alignment of these new policies as the most effective means to bring about real progress in environmental quality and sustainability.