Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ filtered results:

Program: Batteries

Topic: Producer , Registration
The Batteries Regulation applies to the following types of batteries sold separately in Ontario (e.g., not embedded in products):

Single-use (primary) batteries weighing 5 kg or less and sold separately from products; and

Rechargeable batteries weighing 5 kg or less and sold separately from products.

Examples of single-use and rechargeable batteries that fall under the Batteries Regulation are button cells, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, lantern batteries, sealed lead-acid batteries, and replacement batteries for products (for example, drill, cell phone, laptop) that weigh under 5 kg or less.

The regulation does not apply to the following:

Batteries sold with or in products (for example, batteries sold with or in drills, cell phones, laptops, toys, vapes, fire alarms); or

Batteries over 5 kg (for example, car batteries, forklift batteries, stationary batteries).

For more information, see the Compliance Bulletin: What batteries have to be reported?

If you have questions about what items are and are not covered under the Batteries Regulation, contact the Compliance and Registry Team at registry@rpra.ca or (647) 496-0530 or toll-free at (833) 600-0530.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
Registrants who receive a Notice of Intention to issue an Administrative Penalty Order may request that the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar consider additional information before they decide to issue the order. A registrant may ask the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar to review:

Additional information related to the contravention;

Any information relevant to the determination of the penalty amount; or

Any actions you have taken to remedy the contravention since it occurred.

The request must be made to the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar, in writing, within 21 days of the notice of intention being served on the registrant. All additional information and supporting documentation that the registrant would like the Registrar or Deputy Registrar to consider should be included in the request.

The Registrar or Deputy Registrar must then consider the information in the request and determine whether or not to issue an order. If the Registrar or Deputy Registrar decides not to issue the order, they must notify the registrant of this decision.

See RPRA’s Administrative Penalties Guideline for further information or the FAQ: ‘Can I appeal an Administrative Penalty Order issued to me?’ for information on appealing an administrative penalty order.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.
Program: Datacall

You may report expenditures for any of the Blue Box P&E materials that are listed in Section 2.3 of the Datacall. Remember to apply a percentage that accurately represents the portion of the materials related to the residential Blue Box program. Do not report any InKind advertising linage.

Note: Administration staff cost is for the administration of the P&E materials only, and not for the entire Blue Box program. It is important to keep good records on how the P&E allocations were determined in case of an audit, or if RPRA should request it.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , ITT/AV , Lighting

Topic: Management activities , Producer

In determining whether an obligated producer used best efforts to meet their management requirements, the Compliance Team will consider whether the producer, acting in good faith, took all reasonable steps to meet the requirements outlined in the applicable regulation.

For example, best efforts in the context of management requirements may involve a producer regularly monitoring the volume of material being collected and managed, and implementing plans for increasing those volumes if the requirements are unlikely to be met.

Producers can contact the Compliance Team to ask specific questions about fulfilling their obligations.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Producer
Yes, there have been some key changes to the producer hierarchies which may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported to Stewardship Ontario:

If a retailer is determined to be the producer based on hierarchies, but they are a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer.

Brand holders that are resident in Canada are obligated, which varies from the Stewardship Ontario program where brand holders that are resident in Ontario are obligated.

See our FAQ to understand “Who is a marketplace facilitator?”.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Environmental Fees , Producer , Retailer

If you are concerned about the fee you were charged, you should contact the business that charged you the fee to request a more detailed explanation of how the fee was determined.
Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Producer

Producers can reference the following chart to determine if they are a small, large or exempt HSP producer. To calculate your average weight of supply to confirm that you are an exempt producer, reference the Registration Form.

Producer categories use the average weight of material (in tonnes) supplied in Ontario in the previous calendar year.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Producer
Under the Blue Box Regulation, there are three types of exemptions that apply to producers:

Based on a producer’s gross annual revenue,

based on the weight of Blue Box materials supplied into Ontario, and

for producers of newspaper

1. Any producer whose gross annual Ontario revenue from products and services is less than $2,000,000 is exempt from all producer requirements under the regulation. In the case where the producer is a franchisor, it is the gross annual revenue of the system that is used to determine if an exemption applies.

Any producer who meets the exemption must keep any records that demonstrate its gross annual Ontario revenue is less than $2,000,000 in a paper or electronic format that can be examined or accessed in Ontario for a period of five years from the date of creation.

See our FAQs to understand what revenues municipalities and registered charities should consider when determining whether or not they are an exempt producer.

2. A producer who is above the revenue-based exemption level may still be exempt from performance requirements (collection, management and promotion and education) if their supply weight is below the exemption levels outlined in the table below.

If a producer’s annual revenue is more than $2,000,000 and supply weight in all material categories is less than the tonnage exemption threshold, the producer is required to register and report.

If a producer’s annual revenue is more than $2,000,000 and supply weight in at least one material category is above the tonnage exemption threshold, the producer is required to meet all obligations (registration, reporting, collection, management, and promotion and education). However, producers are only required to meet their minimum management requirement in material categories where they are above the exemption level.

3. As outlined in the amended Blue Box Regulation (released April 19, 2022), producers of newspapers may be exempt from collection, management, and promotion and education requirements. For the purposes of this exemption, “newspapers” includes newspapers and any protective wrapping and any supplemental advertisements and inserts that are provided along with the newspapers.

For a producer to qualify for this exemption, newspapers must account for more than 70% of their total weight of Blue Box materials supplied to consumers in Ontario in a calendar year. If exempt, the producer is not required to meet collection, management, and promotion and education requirements for all Blue Box materials they supply in Ontario in the following two calendar years.

A producer whose newspaper supply accounts for 70% or less of their total weight of Blue Box materials is subject to collection, management, and promotion and education requirements for all Blue Box materials they supply in Ontario.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: First Nation communities , General , Municipalities , Reporting
There are three reports for eligible communities under the Blue Box Regulation: an Initial Report, a Transition Report and Change Reports.

The Initial Report will be submitted by all communities in 2021. It will provide an overview of the communities and of the WDTA Blue Box program that operates in that community.

The Transition Report will be submitted by communities 2 years prior to their transition year. It provides more detailed information about the WDTA Blue Box program that operates in the community.

Change Reports will be used by communities when there are changes to the information that they submitted in either the Initial Report or Transition Report. At this time, the requirements and formats for change reports have not yet been established. RPRA will provide guidance in the future.

These reports need to be completed by all eligible communities under the Blue Box Regulation.

An eligible community is a local municipality or local services board area that is not located in the Far North, or a reserve that is registered by a First Nation with the Authority and not located in the Far North.

The Far North has the same meaning as in the Far North Act, 2010. To determine whether a community is in the Far North, use this link.

A local municipality means a single-tier municipality or a lower-tier municipality. A local services board has the same meaning as “Board” in the Northern Services Boards Act.

A First Nation means a council of the Band as referred to in subsection 2(1) of the Indian Act (Canada).

If you are an upper-tier municipality or waste association, these reports must be submitted separately for each eligible community in your program.

Visit the Municipal and First Nation webpages for more information.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems , General , PRO , Processor , Producer
Under the Blue Box Regulation, a packaging-like product is:

ordinarily used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, presentation or transportation of things

ordinarily disposed of after a single use

not used as packaging when it is supplied to the consumer

Packaging-like products include aluminum foil, a metal tray, plastic film, plastic wrap, wrapping paper, a paper bag, beverage cup, plastic bag, cardboard box or envelope, but does not include a product made from flexible plastic that is ordinarily used for the containment, protection, or handling of food, such as cling wrap, sandwich bags, or freezer bags.

If a producer is unsure whether or not their product is a packaging-like product, they can ask themselves the following questions to help determine whether the product is obligated to be reported under the Blue Box Regulation:

Is the product actually packaging around a separate product?

If yes, the product is not a packaging-like product. Instead, the product is considered blue box packaging and must be reported as blue box material. If no, continue to the next question.

Is the product used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, presentation or transportation of a thing(s)?

If no, the product is not a packaging-like product. If yes, continue to the next question.

Is the product typically disposed of after a single use (regardless if some may wash and reuse it)?

If no, the product is not a packaging-like product. If yes, continue to the next question.

Is the product made from flexible plastic that is for the containment, protection or handling of food?

If yes, the product is not a packaging-like product. If no, the product is a packaging-like product and must be reported as blue box material.

If a producer is still unsure whether or not their product is a packaging-like product, they should contact the Compliance and Registry Team at 833-600-0530 or registry@rpra.ca.