Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ filtered results:

Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems

A supplemental collection system is one of three types of collection and management systems that producers can choose to establish or participate in to contribute to their collection, management, and promotion and education requirements under the Blue Box Regulation.

Supplemental collection systems are not required to service all eligible communities south of Ontario’s Far North. Therefore, a producer participating in this type of system is still required to participate in the common collection system to meet their obligation to collect and manage Blue Box materials from all eligible communities, and to provide a promotion and education program.

One or more producers or PROs can establish a supplemental collection system. If a producer or PRO wishes to use a supplemental collection system’s collected materials towards producer minimum management requirements, that system should register with RPRA.

For more information on supplemental collection system registration criteria, please reach out to registry@rpra.ca.

Also see: ‘What is the Blue Box common collection system?’, ‘What is a Blue Box alternative collection system?’
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems

The common collection system is the Blue Box material collection and management system established by PROs on behalf of producers. Blue Box materials that are picked up through curbside residential collection, for instance, are processed through the common collection system. The system came into effect on July 1, 2023, as outlined in the Blue Box Regulation. The common collection system services all eligible communities south of Ontario’s Far North.

It is one of three types of collection and management systems that producers can choose to use to meet their minimum management requirements. Producers who use the common collection system to meet their obligations will contract with a PRO that is participating in the common collection system.

A high-level overview of the common collection system was provided by PROs Circular Materials and Ryse Solutions Ontario in 2022 in their Initial Blue Box Report.

Also see: ‘What is a Blue Box Alternative collection system?’, ‘What is a Blue Box supplemental collection system?’
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems

An alternative collection system is one of three types of collection and management systems for Blue Box materials. Producers can choose to establish or participate in an alternative collection system to meet their collection, management, and promotion and education requirements under the Blue Box Regulation.

An alternative collection system can be established by one or more producers or PROs. The system must demonstrate that it can meet all system regulatory requirements as well as the minimum management requirements for participating producer(s). A producer can choose to meet their obligations using an alternative collection system instead of participating in the common collection system.

Types of alternative collection systems may vary and can include depot or return-by-mail systems. Alternative collection systems must service all eligible communities south of Ontario’s Far North.

For more information on alternative collection system registration criteria, please reach out to registry@rpra.ca.

Also see: ‘What is the Blue Box common collection system?’, ‘What is a Blue Box supplemental collection system?’
Program: Blue Box

Topic: PRO , Producer , Promotion and Education , Regulation

While the Blue Box Regulation states the requirement for Blue Box producers or PROs to deliver printed promotion and education materials in English and French to eligible sources by mail at least once a year, many Ontario municipalities have stopped providing printed promotion and education materials to their residents in favour of electronic formats.

As long as Blue Box producers or Blue Box PROs continue to provide the same format of promotion and education materials as the Ontario municipality provided prior to the date the municipality transitioned under the Blue Box Regulation (i.e., print or electronic or both), RPRA will consider this as having satisfied the requirement in section 72(1) paragraph 2. The materials must be provided in both English and French.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems , First Nation communities
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.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems , First Nation communities , Municipalities
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.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Municipalities , Producer , Reporting

Where a municipality distributes documents on behalf of another brand holder, the municipality is not obligated to report the paper in its supply. That obligation falls to the brand holder.

For example: A municipality may distribute documents issued by the provincial government (such as marriage licences and court documents) which are usually branded with the provincial agency or ministerial logos and names. In these cases, the provincial government would be the brand holder responsible for reporting these materials in their annual supply data report.

Please see FAQ “Who is a brand holder?” for more information.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: First Nation communities
There are two steps that need to be completed for a First Nation to receive service or funding beginning on their requested transition date:

The PRO, Circular Materials, must submit the offer through the Registry for the First Nation to sign six months before the transition date.

The First Nation must sign the offer three months before the transition date.

If these two steps are not completed by the required timelines, service or funding will begin three months after the offer is signed by the First Nation.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: First Nation communities

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 registry@rpra.ca.

First Nations that are not listed on the transition schedule and have registered to participate in the Blue Box program are eligible to receive Blue Box collection service or funding starting January 1, 2026 at the earliest.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Producer , Reporting

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?