Frequently Asked Questions
Results (16)
Click the question to read the answer.
-
Free riders are obligated parties that:
- Have not registered or reported to RPRA
- Have not established a collection and management system (if they are so required to), or;
- Are not operating a collection and management system (if they are so required to).
See our FAQs to understand “What is RPRA’s approach to free riders?”, and “What do I do if I think a business is a free rider?”
To note:
- Some producers only have requirements to register and report. Please refer to your specific program page on our website to understand producer obligations.
- Collection and management systems may be accomplished by a producer responsibility organization (PRO) on behalf of a producer through contractual arrangements between the producer and PRO. If a PRO is managing a producer’s collection and management requirements, producers must identify that PRO to RPRA.
-
No, only producers are required to pay RPRA program fees. The decision to make producers pay fees and cover the Authority’s costs was made to reflect the fact that the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA) is based on a producer responsibility framework. Although producers may hire service providers to help meet their obligations, the responsibility remains with the producer.
-
A producer responsibility organization (PRO) is a business established to contract with producers to provide collection, management, and administrative services to help producers meet their regulatory obligations under the Regulation, including:
- Arranging the establishment or operation of collection and management systems (hauling, recycling, reuse, or refurbishment services)
- Establishing or operating a collection or management system
- Preparing and submitting reports
PROs operate in a competitive market and producers can choose the PRO (or PROs) they want to work with. The terms and conditions of each contract with a PRO may vary.
-
A producer can grant access to anyone they would like to authorize in their reporting (i.e. Registry) portal. Producer reporting must be done in the producer account and batch data transfers are not accepted.
-
Yes. PROs are private enterprises and charge for their services to producers.
Each commercial contract a producer enters with a PRO will have its own set of terms and conditions. It is up to the PRO and producer to determine the terms of their contractual agreement, including fees and payment schedule.
RPRA does not set the terms of the contractual arrangements between PROs and producers.
-
RPRA does not vet PROs before listing them on the website. Any business that registers as a PRO will be listed. Producers should do their own due diligence when determining which PRO to work with.
-
The recycling locations that appear on the map are reported to RPRA by PROs (or producers managing their own collection networks) as the administrators of the collection systems. The public collection activities that PROs report in their registry account are uploaded to the map in near real-time.
-
If a producer or service provider needs to adjust the performance data reported to RPRA, they must contact the Compliance Team immediately by emailing registry@rpra.ca. Please include the following information in the email:
- The rationale for the change in the data
- Any data that supports the need for a correction (e.g., tonnage purchase or sale contract, audit)
- Any other information to support the change
While it is an offence to submit false or misleading information under the RRCEA, RPRA wants this corrected as quickly as possible to ensure that it has accurate performance data from all registrants.
RPRA can only receive these requests from the primary contact on the company’s Registry account. Your request for an adjustment will be reviewed by a Compliance and Registry Officer.
-
The Manage PRO option will appear on the dashboard below your list of supply data reports when your supply data reporting is complete and if you have management requirements. If your supply data reporting is below the supply exemption threshold you will not have management requirements, and therefore not need to assign a PRO to assist with your obligations.
Also note that Account Admin are the only portal users that can manage your PRO’s responsibility, so this widget is not viewable to primary and secondary users.
-
Yes. Producers and service providers can enter into contractual agreements with multiple PROs.
-
Collection sites for batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting, and tires that are reported by producers, or PROs on their behalf, appear on the map.
Collection sites that are considered private (e.g. a recycling bin inside a business that is not accessible to the public) do not appear on the map.
-
If your collection site isn’t part of a PRO’s collection network, it won’t appear on the map. The map populates collection sites with data entered by producers or PROs on their behalf.
If you are working with a PRO and your site is not listed on the map, contact your PRO.
If you aren’t already working with a PRO and want to add your collection site to the map, you can find a list of PROs and their contact information on the applicable program page of RPRA’s website.
-
RPRA’s Where to Recycle map displays locations across Ontario where the public can drop off used materials to be recycled, such as batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste (e.g., paint, antifreeze, pesticides), lighting and tires, for free. Materials collected at these locations are reused, refurbished, recycled, or properly disposed of to help keep them out of landfill, recover valuable resources and protect our environment. Learn more here.
-
The recycling locations that appear on the map are reported to RPRA by businesses that run the recycling systems in Ontario.
-
A public collection site must be readily accessible to the public and accept designated used materials during regular business hours. Publicly accessible collection sites and events appear on the Where to Recycle map.
A private collection site (e.g. office or school that collects designated materials) does not need to be publicly accessible. Private collection sites do not appear on the map.
Read this related FAQ: What does it mean for a collection site to be readily accessible to the public?
-
Readily accessible to the public means a site can be accessed by any consumer who wants to drop off used materials for free to be recycled, reused or refurbished.
A public collection site cannot restrict the type of products accepted. For example, an electronics collection site cannot refuse to accept printers or large televisions. Retail stores are only required to accept materials of a similar size and function to the products supplied at that location. For example, a mobile phone kiosk may choose to accept only mobile phones.
Collection sites can request reasonable requirements when consumers drop off an item to ensure health and safety. For example, sites may require that used oil filters are dropped off in sealed containers, light tubes are taped together, etc.
Publicly accessible collection sites and events will appear on the Where to Recycle map.
Restrictions
If a collection site has restrictions, for example due to an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA), municipal by-law, or fire code provision, the restrictions may be applied, and the collection site will still be considered readily accessible to the public. For example, a municipal depot that has an ECA to accept materials only from residents of the community can apply this restriction and still be considered readily accessible to the public. Similarly, a collection site with an ECA that prohibits collection from the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors may apply these restrictions and still be considered readily accessible to the public. And a collection site that has restrictions on how it can be accessed (such as drive-in only) may enforce these restrictions and still be considered readily accessible to the public.
Read this related FAQ: What is the difference between a public and private collection site?