Frequently Asked Questions

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu Our company supplies its products in refillable packaging. How should we report these containers in our Supply Report?

  For the purposes of supply data reporting, ‘refillable packaging’ is defined as packaging surrounding a supplied product that a consumer can return to the product manufacturer for cleaning and reuse.

  A producer who supplies its products in refillable packaging should only report weights (under the appropriate material category) the first time the packaging is supplied to consumers.

  For example:

  A milk producer that used 1000 new glass bottles to supply its product to consumers in 2022, reported the weight of all 1000 bottles under the beverage container category in their 2023 supply data report.

  In 2023, the producer added 500 new glass bottles to its supply, bringing the total of supplied material to 1500 bottles. Their 2024 supply data report should only reflect the weights of the 500 new bottles, not the total currently being used by the producer (1500).

  Important: Products supplied in beverage containers should be reported in the ‘beverage container’ category, not the category the container is made of (plastic, metal, glass).

  See Compliance Bulletin: What blue box materials need to be reported?

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• Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

  Topic: Compliance and Enforcement

  Toggle the submenu Can I appeal a Compliance Order issued to me?

  If a Compliance Order is issued to a registrant by the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar, or if the registrant receives a decision from a Deputy Registrar issued as a result of a Request for Review of an inspector’s order, the registrant can appeal the order to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The registrant must serve written notice of their intention to appeal to the Registrar or Deputy Registrar who made the order and to the OLT within 15 days of being served with the order. The notice must include:

  • The parts of the order that the appeal pertains to; and
  • The grounds on which the person appealing the order intends to rely at the hearing.

  The OLT will hold a hearing. The OLT may decide to confirm, vary, or revoke the order.

  After a matter is decided by the OLT, the registrant or RPRA may appeal the OLT’s decision to the Divisional Court, but only on a question of law and with leave (permission) of the Divisional Court. If a party obtains leave, the appeal of the OLT decision will be heard by the Divisional Court. This process is governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure. The OLT’s decision is not automatically stayed (put on hold) by an appeal to the Divisional Court, but a stay may be granted by the OLT or the Court.

  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.

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• Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

  Topic: Compliance and Enforcement

  Toggle the submenu Can I request a review of a Notice of Intention to issue an Administrative Penalty Order served to me?

  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.

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• Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

  Topic: Compliance and Enforcement

  Toggle the submenu Can I appeal an Administrative Penalty Order issued to me?

  Registrants may appeal an Administrative Penalty Order issued to them to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The registrant must serve written notice of their intention to appeal to the OLT and to the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar within 15 days of being served the order. The order will be temporarily stayed (put on hold) until a decision is rendered by the tribunal. The notice must include:

  • The parts of the order that the appeal pertains to; and
  • The grounds on which the person appealing the order intends to rely at the hearing.

  The OLT will hold a hearing, and the OLT may confirm, vary, or revoke the order. The OLT cannot vary the amount of the penalty unless it considers the amount to be unreasonable.

  After a matter is decided by the OLT, the registrant or RPRA may appeal the OLT’s decision to the Divisional Court, but only on a question of law and with leave (permission) of the Divisional Court. If a party obtains leave, the appeal of the OLT decision will be heard by the Divisional Court. This process is governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure. The OLT’s decision is not automatically stayed by an appeal to the Divisional Court, but a stay may be granted by the OLT or the Court.

  See RPRA’s Administrative Penalties Guideline for further information.

  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.

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• Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

  Topic: Compliance and Enforcement

  Toggle the submenu Can I request a review of a Compliance Order issued to me?

  Registrants may request that a Deputy Registrar review a Compliance Order issued to them by an inspector. The request must be made, in writing, by the registrant to a Deputy Registrar within seven days of being served with the order. The request must include:

  • The parts of the order that the request for review pertains to;
  • Any submissions the person requesting the review wants considered; and
  • An address (physical or electronic) where the person can be served with the Deputy Registrar’s decision.

  A Deputy Registrar will then review the order and can revoke, confirm, or amend the inspector’s order.

  Deputy Registrars must either issue their decision or provide notice that more time is needed within seven days of receiving the request. If a Deputy Registrar provides notice that more time is needed, they must stay (put on hold) the order while it is under review, and the Deputy Registrar must issue their decision within 90 days.

  If a Deputy Registrar does not issue a decision or provide notice that more time is needed within seven days of receiving the request for review, the order will remain as originally issued.

  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.

  See the FAQ: ‘Can I appeal a Compliance Order issued to me?’ for information on appealing a compliance order.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems

  Toggle the submenu Our municipality’s Blue Box program accepts books, pots and pans, and/or zipper-type flexible plastic food storage bags for collection. Will they be accepted for collection in the producer-run Blue Box program?

  Under the WDTA Blue Box program, municipalities could choose to accept these materials in their programs. This choice varied between municipalities.

  Under the producer-run Blue Box program, none of these materials are considered obligated Blue Box materials. The Blue Box Regulation specifically states that hard or soft cover books or products made from flexible plastic that is ordinarily used for the containment, protection and or handling of food, such as cling wrap, sandwich bags or freezer bags are not Blue Box materials. Pots and pans do not meet the definition of Blue Box material under the Regulation.

  Producers are not obligated to collect or manage the recovery of these materials.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems

  Toggle the submenu What is an eligible facility under the Blue Box Regulation?

  Under the WDTA Blue Box program, some municipalities may have chosen to provide Blue Box collection to facilities that were not residences, such as commercial properties, municipally owned and operated buildings or other institutions.

  Under the Blue Box Regulation, only certain types of facilities can receive collection under the producer-run Blue Box program. These facilities are:

  1. Multi-residential facilities with six or more dwelling units
  2. Retirement homes that are operated by a municipality or an entity that does not operate with the purpose of generating a profit or were included in the WDTA Blue Box program on August 15, 2019. “Retirement home” has the same meaning as in the Retirement Homes Act, 2010.
  3. Long-term care homes that are non-profit long-term care homes or were included in the WDTA Blue Box program on August 15, 2019. “Long-term care home” has the same meaning as in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. “Non-profit long-term care home” has the same meaning as the regulations under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
  4. Buildings that contain public or private elementary or secondary schools. “School” and “private school” have the same meaning as in the Education Act.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems , Where to Recycle map

  Toggle the submenu Why can’t I find a location on the Where to Recycle map for recycling Blue Box materials (e.g., glass, plastic, metal or paper packaging)?

  Blue Box materials (i.e., products and packaging made of metal, glass, paper, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, and beverage containers) are typically collected directly from residences through the provincial Blue Box Program. RPRA’s Where to Recycle map displays public locations for recycling materials that don’t belong in your Blue Box (e.g., batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting and tires).

  For more information on recycling Blue Box materials, visit Circular Materials’ website. Circular Materials is the administrator of Ontario’s Blue Box collection system.

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• Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Excess Soil , Hazardous and Special Products , Hazardous Waste , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

  Topic: General , Registry

  Toggle the submenu How can I change an email address in the registry?

  If you need to change an email address in your registry account, please contact the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca. Registry users cannot update email addresses themselves; this can only be completed by RPRA.

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• Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Excess Soil , Hazardous and Special Products , Hazardous Waste , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

  Topic: General , Registry

  Toggle the submenu Who can reset passwords in the registry?  

  Account admins can manage password resets for all active users in the account. Primary users are also able to manage password resets, but only for active users within the programs they are the primary user for. If secondary users require a password reset, they can reach out to the account admin or primary user to do so. 

  See FAQ: How can I reset a password in the registry? 

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