Government Releases New Regulation for Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Published on: Sep 22, 2020 Go back to the Latest News Archive

The Government of Ontario has finalized a new regulation for Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, establishing individual producer responsibility requirements for the collection and reuse, refurbishment and recycling of EEE.

The new regulation makes information technology, telecommunications, audio-visual (ITT/AV) and lighting equipment the third and fourth materials after tires and batteries under Ontario’s individual producer responsibility regulatory framework.

IPR makes producers individually accountable and financially responsible for their products and packaging once they reach their end of life and are disposed; sets mandatory and enforceable requirements for resource recovery; and gives producers choices for resource recovery services in a competitive market.

RPRA (the Authority) is the regulator established by the Government of Ontario to enforce the requirements of the new regulatory framework under the EEE Regulation, along with the Batteries Regulation and Tires Regulation. The Authority is also responsible for providing information and supporting businesses in understanding and complying with the regulatory requirements.

The EEE Regulation applies to producers of information technology, telecommunications, and audio visual (ITT/AV) equipment and lighting weighing 250 kg or less and supplied and/or used in Ontario. Batteries supplied with ITT/AV and lighting, either in the packaging or the product, are also subject to the Regulation. Power tools, children’s toys, motor vehicles, and EEE in textiles, clothing and furniture are among some of the excluded products.

The EEE Regulation requires:

  • Producers to establish and operate systems to collect and manage ITT/AV discarded by consumers starting January 1, 2021
  • Producers to establish and operate systems to collect and manage lighting discarded by consumers starting January 1, 2023
  • ITT/AV producers to register with the Authority on or before November 30, 2020
  • Lighting producers to register with the Authority on or before November 30, 2022
  • Producers, or producer responsibility organizations (PROs) on their behalf, to report annually on performance to the Authority starting April 30, 2022 for ITT/AV and April 30, 2024 for lighting

EEE haulers, processors and refurbishers will also be required to register with the Authority on or before November 30, 2020 for ITT/AV and November 30, 2022 for lighting.

PROs will need to register within 30 days of being retained by a producer. To assist producers in identifying the PROs they want to work with to meet their collection and management requirements that begin on January 1, 2021, PROs are encouraged to register with the Authority as soon as possible.

EEE collectors are not required to register with the Authority.

The current recycling program for EEE operated exclusively by OES under the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016 winds up on December 31, 2020. OES will continue to operate the current program without interruption until that time.

Starting January 1, 2021, the Authority will be responsible for overseeing the new resource recovery system for ITT/AV, and lighting starting January 1, 2023.

Visit the EEE page on our website to learn more about the new regulation and sign up for one of our upcoming learning events that will help those affected by the new regulation meet their obligations and participate in the new market for recycling, reusing and refurbishing EEE.