What the Senate Inquiry Means for Product Stewardship—and How ResiLoop Members Are Already Acting

The No Time To Waste report from the recent Senate Inquiry confirms what many in the waste and manufacturing sectors have long known: our current policy frameworks are falling short, and urgent structural reform is needed to build a circular economy in Australia. 
Among its recommendations, the report calls for a Circular Economy Act that would legislate design standards, financial incentives, and regulatory enforcement across both local and imported products. It also advocates for mandatory producer-funded product stewardship schemes, beginning with problematic waste streams like plastics. 
This signals a clear direction from government: future regulation will require producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products. 
At ResiLoop, we’re not waiting for legislation to make this shift. Our Members—some of Australia’s leading resilient flooring suppliers--driven by their commitments to sustainability and eco-design, are already funding and participating in a system to support circular outcomes for resilient floor coverings. By backing ResiLoop, they are laying the groundwork for future-ready product stewardship so that their products are moving towards circularity here in Australia.  

The No Time To Waste report also calls for a national legislative framework for extended producer responsibility (EPR) and a cross-jurisdictional circular economy taskforce to harmonise policies, landfill levies and waste definitions. These are absolutely necessary goals, but building a viable, scalable system takes time. 
That’s why ResiLoop is taking a staged approach—with clear timelines for action today, preparation for tomorrow, and a vision for 2030 and beyond. 
We’re developing infrastructure, collection networks, and recycling partnerships, while also investing in R&D to expand what's technically and economically recyclable. Our digital tracking platform is live, collection points are operating, and our Members are using the system to capture data, reduce waste, and meet growing expectations from customers who are increasingly seeking products with a credible circular economy pathway. 
In many ways, the momentum behind a regulated circular economy seems inevitable. But those who act early—by participating in and shaping voluntary schemes like ResiLoop—are not only better prepared for the future, they’re building value today. 
Because circularity isn’t just a compliance issue; it’s a market signal. And increasingly, the market is asking: What happens to this product at end-of-life? 
For more on how ResiLoop is helping the industry transition, visit www.resiloop.org.au.