Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the lists of registered PROs:

Tire PROs

Battery PROs

ITT/AV PROs

Lighting PROs

Blue Box PROs

Hazardous and Special Products PROs

These lists will continue to be updated as new PROs register with RPRA.

No. Section 68 subsection (3) of the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act states that “a person responsible for establishing and operating a collection system shall ensure that no charge is imposed at the time of the collection.”

The Tires Regulation states that at least one collection site or event per year is required in a territorial district with a population of 1,000 or more. Read Compliance Bulletin – Tire Collection Systems for more information.

No. If a municipality has a private company operating a site on their behalf, the company is not required to register the municipally-owned sites as long as the tires are picked up by a registered hauler and delivered to a registered processor or retreader.

If the private company owns or operates collection sites that are not owned by a municipality, it is required to register and report its non-municipally-owned sites.

To ensure tires continue to be picked up from your sites, you will need to make sure those sites are included in the collection systems established by tire producers or producer responsibility organizations (PROs). Since most producers will work with PROs to establish their collection systems, municipalities should contact a registered PRO.

Visit our webpage about PROs for more information.

Collection sites are required to accept used tires that are of similar rim size and weight as the new tires (or tires on new vehicles) that they sell. Use the Authority’s Find a Collection Site map to find a drop-off location and call ahead to confirm that the collection site will accept your tires.

No. RPRA does not administer contracts or provide incentives. Under the Regulations, producers will either work with a producer responsibility organization (PRO) or work directly with collection sites, haulers, refurbisher’s and/or processors to meet their collection and management requirements. Any reimbursement for services provided towards meeting a producers’ collection and management requirements will be determined through commercial contracts.

To discuss any payment, contact your service provider or a PRO. RPRA does not set the terms of the contractual arrangements between PROs and producers.

Tire collection sites are established to facilitate the responsible recycling and management of used tires. The types of tires accepted at these sites include, but are not limited to:

Examples of Accepted Tires:

• Automobile tires (cars, SUVs, light-duty trucks)
• Motorcycle tires
• Motor assisted bicycle tires (e.g., mopeds, non-kick scooters)
• Tractor tires
• Tires on industrial and agricultural vehicles and equipment
• Transport truck tires
• Trailer tires (e.g., boat trailers, RVs)
• All-terrain vehicle (ATV) tires
• Riding lawn mower tires
• Aircraft tires (if not supplied on an aircraft)
• Snow blower tires
• Small tires (1 kg to <5 kg), such as:
  • Wheelbarrow tires
  • Dolly tires

Examples of Tires That Are Not Accepted:

• Bicycle tires (muscle-powered)
• Stroller and kick scooter tires (non-motorized)
• Power-assisted bicycle tires (e.g., electric bicycles)
• Personal mobility device tires (e.g., wheelchairs, medical scooters)

Tires can be dropped off on or off the rim. Collection sites must accept tires on rims.

First Nation communities interested in receiving producer-run Blue Box services must register with the Authority. To register, communities must submit contact information of the person responsible for waste management in the community using the First Nation community registration form. Once completed, the registration form should be submitted by email to [email protected].

Visit our First Nation webpage for more information.

Yes, producers are obligated to provide collection services to new single-family residences, but these locations must become eligible sources first.

A new residence becomes an eligible source only after the local municipality, local services board, or First Nation registers the new single-family residences (also referred to as “natural growth”) by updating its address information with the Common Collection System Administrator, Circular Materials. Once the new addresses are properly registered, producers are obligated to provide collection services as soon as is practicable.

Municipalities, local services boards and First Nations should contact Circular Materials if they have new residences that need Blue Box collection service. Contact information can be found by visiting Circular Materials’ website and typing in your community’s name.

If your community is south of the Far North boundary, you can complete the registration form and email it to [email protected] to express your community’s interest in participating in the producer-run Blue Box program. A Compliance Officer will reach out to you to discuss the reporting and offer process, confirm the information provided in the registration form, and answer any questions you may have.

No, First Nations are not required to participate. First Nations can choose if the producer-run Blue Box system is the best option for their community. One of RPRA’s roles in overseeing the Blue Box program is to provide as much information as possible to support a community’s informed decision.

If your community is still undecided about whether or not to register, we encourage you to reach out to a Compliance Officer at [email protected] with your questions or to get more information.

All remote and fly-in First Nation communities can access the Hazardous Special Products (HSP, formerly known as Household Hazardous Waste) producer-run program.

All other producer-run recycling programs are only accessible to communities south of the Far North Boundary.

For more information about recycling programs in First Nation Communities, visit our Recycling in First Nation Communities webpage.

Also see our FAQ: ‘What is the Far North Boundary?’

If your First Nation is located south of the Far North and wants to join the Blue Box program, they first need to complete a registration form and submit it to [email protected].

Once this form is completed and submitted to RPRA, the administrator of the Blue Box common collection system, Circular Materials, will reach out to prepare an offer for collection services. After reviewing the offer, First Nation communities can indicate whether they accept it by informing RPRA.

There are two steps that need to be completed for a First Nation to receive service or funding:

• The PRO, Circular Materials, must submit the offer through the RPRA’s Registry for the First Nation to sign
• The First Nation must accept and sign the offer

Under the Blue Box Regulation which came into effect on July 1, 2023, eligible locations for collection within the producer-run program include:

• Private residences
• Public and private schools
• Elders’ lodges
• Not-for-profit retirement homes
• Not-for-profit long-term care facilities

Note: Commercial properties are not eligible for collection under the producer-run Blue Box program.

Under the Blue Box Regulation which came into effect on July 1, 2023, eligible locations for collection in a First Nation community include:

• Private residences
• Public and private schools
• Elders’ lodges (or retirement homes)
• Not-for-profit long-term care facilities

Locations that are not eligible for Blue Box collection or funding under this program include:

• Commercial properties
• Band owned and operated facilities such as daycares or community, wellness, cultural and language centres.
  • Note: Although costs of collection from these properties are not covered under the Blue Box system, First Nations can apply for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) funding to support these costs. Please speak to your region’s ISC officer for more information on how to apply.

If First Nation communities, municipalities or other collection site operators want to collect used HSP as a service to customers or residents, they need to ensure their sites are included in a producer’s collection network.

Most producers will be working with service providers, such as PROs, processors or haulers to operate their collection networks. To join a collection network, First Nation communities, municipalities, and collection site operators should contact a service provider registered with RPRA. View the list of registered service providers here.

Municipalities and First Nations communities can also hold collection events. Collection events are typically one to two day events where members of the public or community can drop off materials such as HSP. These communities should contact a service provider if they are interested in providing these services to their residents.

All municipalities, territorial districts and First Nation communities can contact producers or PROs to arrange a pickup once they collect a specific amount of HSP material. The minimum amount required for pickup differs by category. For further information about this option, please see our Recycling in First Nation Communities page.

Under the producer responsibility framework, producers of Blue Box materials are responsible for ensuring that residences in eligible communities with curbside collection have a Blue Box receptacle. Examples of receptacles that must be provided to residents include bins, bags and carts.

The receptacle must be provided free of charge at least one week before producers begin collecting from the residence. Producers must deliver Blue Box receptacles to residents, or make them available for pickup if the resident prefers.

Blue Box receptacles must be appropriate for the residence, meaning they must meet the specific needs of the resident and must be equipped to follow local collection standards. For instance, some municipalities allow the use of carts whereas others use bags.

As of January 1, 2026, the Blue Box Program has fully transitioned to producers of packaging, paper products and packaging-like products and municipalities are no longer responsible for operating or funding the residential Blue Box Program.

The transition of the Blue Box Program is part of the Ontario government’s circular economy initiative under which producers are required to be financially responsible and accountable for their products and packaging when consumers are finished using them.

Circular Materials is the organization responsible for operating the Blue Box collection system on behalf of producers.

For questions specific to your Blue Box collection service, please visit their website and type in your community’s name.

The requirement for Blue Box producers to provide collection service to eligible facilities – multi-residential buildings, schools, and specified long-term care homes and retirement homes – in eligible communities that did not receive service under the legacy Blue Box program has been delayed to 2031.

Facilities in communities that did not receive Blue Box collection under the legacy program that want to receive collection between 2026 and 2030 must continue with private collection, or initiate collection with a private service provider if they have not been serviced before.

RPRA will open its facilities registry well in advance of the 2031 start date to allow eligible facility owners and operators to register. Stakeholders can subscribe to RPRA’s mailing list to receive updates.

Eligible facilities that were not serviced under the legacy Blue Box program can begin receiving Blue Box collection services through the producer-run program on the later of the following dates:

• January 1, 2031
• The date the facility officially registers under section 63 of the Blue Box Regulation

For details on specific types of locations, see our FAQ: “What is an eligible facility under the Blue Box Regulation?”

No, First Nation communities are not required to sign agreements with a PRO or PROs to have materials picked up.

Producers, or PROs on their behalf, are required to provide call-in collection services to pick up tires, electronics, lighting, batteries, and household hazardous and special products free of charge.

For details about minimum amounts required for pickup, timelines for pickup for communities both north and south of the Far North boundary, and contact information for PROs that offer call-in collection, visit our Recycling in First Nation Communities webpage.