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How the Enforcement of MEPS in Australia Has Led to a Paradigm Shift in Supplier Attitudes

Panel: Strategies for Appliances, Lighting, Electronics, and Miscellaneous End–Uses

Authors:
Rachael Clarke, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
Shane Holt, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Abstract

The Australian Government considers the effective application of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) as one of the key elements of their climate change strategy.

Australia has MEPS in place for products ranging from refrigerators to air conditioners to three-phase electric motors. As such, to supply a MEPS covered product to Australia, it is necessary to register the product via a simple web-based system, and lodge a test report demonstrating compliance with the MEPS (or certification via a recognized partner programme). Many consider such a system as effective in ensuring that poorly performing products are removed from the market. However, to ensure ongoing product compliance, it is necessary to undertake ongoing market monitoring and instigate robust actions against suppliers of products which fail to continually meet their original performance declarations.

In recent years, the Australian government has taken a high profile approach to this market monitoring and enforcement. Through two case studies, one on the non-compliance of an internationally branded air conditioner, the other a non-compliant refrigerator, the paper will demonstrate the major impacts that can result from the comprehensive nature of the Australian MEPS enforcement strategy, including penalties designed to compensate those that have suffered a loss, i.e. the consumer and the environment. Perhaps more importantly, the paper will also demonstrate how this approach appears to be leading to a paradigm shift in supplier attitudes, with a number of suppliers now approaching the government to voluntarily declare when their products are not meeting stated performance levels and offering compensation packages and environmental recompense based on the levels of product non-compliance.

Paper

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