Frequently Asked Questions

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: PRO , Producer , Registry , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu Are beverage containers eligible for a producer’s allowable deductions for Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is a) not an eligible source, and b) where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied and used or consumed?

  No, beverage containers are not eligible for this deduction.

  The allowable deduction is permitted for Blue Box materials that are deposited into a “non-eligible source,” meaning a place where consumers dispose of Blue Box materials that are not included in the producer-run collection system.

  Under the Blue Box Regulation, beverage containers that are supplied to Ontario consumers for personal, family, household or business purposes are obligated Blue Box materials. The inclusion of “business purposes” is unique to the beverage container material category.

  Because supplying a beverage container can mean either supplying for “personal, family and/or household purposes” that will likely be consumed and disposed of in a residential context (e.g., a home, apartment, long-term care facility, etc.) or supplying for “business purposes” that will likely be consumed and disposed of in a commercial or institutional context (e.g., a restaurant, college or gym), there are no “non-eligible sources” for beverage containers. All beverage containers must be reported and collected from all sources, whether they are residential, business, commercial or institutional.

  See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Management activities , Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?

  There are only two allowable deductions for Blue Box materials. There are for materials that are:

  • collected from an eligible source at the time a related product was installed or delivered (e.g., packaging that is removed from the house by a technician installing a new appliance). This is the “installation deduction”.
  • deposited into a receptacle at a location that is collected from a business or institution where Blue Box collection services are not provided under the regulation. This is the “ineligible source deduction” that was expanded by the regulation amendment in July 2023.

  Ineligible source deductions:

  Blue Box Producers may deduct materials that are collected from a business or institution where producers are not required to provide Blue Box collection services. Examples include offices, stores and shopping malls, restaurants, community centres, recreation facilities, sports and entertainment venues, universities and colleges, and manufacturing facilities.

  Producers cannot deduct the following materials collected through the collection systems established under the Blue Box Regulation:

  • Material that is generated at a facility (including multi-residential buildings, retirement homes, long-term care homes and schools).
  • Material that is collected from a residence through a curbside or depot collection service.
  • Material that is collected from a public space (including an outdoor area in a park, playground or sidewalk, or a public transit station).
  • Material collected under an alternative or supplemental collection system.
  • Beverage containers cannot be deducted.

  Materials that are deducted cannot count toward a producer’s management requirement.

  Please see the Reporting Guidance Ineligible Source Deductions for the 2024 Blue Box Supply Report for more information on how to determine and use these deductions.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu We are a public sector institution and understand that we are a Blue Box producer. What information do we need to include in our supply report?

  Public sector institutions, such as colleges and universities, are suppliers of Blue Box materials to consumers in Ontario. They supply Blue Box materials to consumers on-site (e.g., food service packaging, unprinted paper in photocopiers, etc.) and off-site (e.g., mailings).

  For the purposes of supply reporting, colleges, universities, and other public sector institutions must determine the total amount of Blue Box material they supply to consumers in Ontario. One way to gather this data is by canvassing internal departments to obtain annual weights of Blue Box materials supplied to consumers on-site and off-site.

  Also see:
  FAQ: What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?
  Compliance Bulletin: What Blue Box materials need to be reported?

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu What must a producer demonstrate to deduct materials that are supplied, used, or consumed and disposed of at a non-eligible source (e.g., an arena, a college or university campus, or a food court)?

  Under the Blue Box Regulation, allowable deductions for producers include Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is not an eligible source and where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied to a consumer and used or consumed.

  This applies to locations such as arenas, college and university campuses and food courts.

  A producer must demonstrate the following with regards to an allowable deduction:

  1. They are the obligated producer for the materials for which they are claiming a deduction, and the weight of those materials was included in their reported supply data.
  2. The materials were supplied onsite to a consumer for personal, family or household purposes.
  3. The same materials that were supplied, were used or consumed onsite and disposed of in a receptacle onsite.

  Blue Box materials that were disposed of in a building’s receptacles but were not supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are not deductible. This deduction applies to all Blue Box materials supplied for personal, family or household, but not those supplied for business purposes. This deduction is not available for beverage containers.

  This does not reduce the obligation of a producer to provide complete and accurate supply data or limit the ability of an Authority inspector to review the data and related records for the purpose of determining compliance.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer

  Toggle the submenu What documentation will RPRA accept to verify a producer’s allowable deduction for Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is a) not an eligible source, and b) where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied and used or consumed?

  RPRA will accept a report that substantiates the total Blue Box material weight deductions based on the customer’s recorded response to “Will you eat in or take out?” for all locations. Reports must be retained either in electronic or paper format for five years and be provided upon request for verification by RPRA.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Management activities , Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu Can a food court restaurant deduct Blue Box materials that are disposed of in its mall recycling receptacles?

  Under the Blue Box Regulation, allowable deductions for producers include Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is not an eligible source and where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied and used or consumed.

  This applies to food court restaurants located in a mall or in the base of an office tower. Blue Box materials that were disposed of in the buildings’ recycling receptacles and were supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are an allowable deduction. Blue Box materials that were disposed of in the buildings’ recycling receptacles but were not supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are not deductible.

  This does not reduce the obligation of a producer to provide complete and accurate supply data or limit the ability of an Authority inspector to review the data and related records for the purpose of determining compliance.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems , General , Management activities , Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu Are there are any differences in what needs to be reported between the current Stewardship Ontario program and the new Blue Box Regulation?

  Yes, there are some key changes to the data reported to Stewardship Ontario and what needs to be reported under the new regulation, which may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported to Stewardship Ontario:

  • There are fewer reporting categories than under the Stewardship Ontario program
  • Certified compostable packaging and products now must be reported separately, but this category does not have management requirements
  • There are only two deductions permitted under the Blue Box Regulation, and producers must report total supply and then report any weight to be deducted separately
  • Exemptions are based on tonnage supply under each material category instead of a total supply weight threshold of less than 15 tonnes as in Stewardship Ontario’s program

  See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”; “Are there exemptions for Blue Box producers?“; “Are there any differences in Blue Box producer hierarchies between the current Stewardship Ontario program and the new Blue Box Regulation?”; and “Are there are any differences in obligated Blue Box materials between the current Stewardship Ontario program and the new Blue Box Regulation?”

   

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu What information do Blue Box producers need to provide when reporting their supply data to RPRA?

  Starting in 2022, producers are required to report their supply data annually to RPRA.

  Each year, producers will need to provide the previous years’ supply data in each of the seven material categories – beverage container, glass material, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, metal material, paper material, and certified compostable products and packaging material – as well as any deductions.

  See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”

   

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Registration

  Toggle the submenu What information do Blue Box producers need to provide when registering with RPRA?

  Producers are required to provide the following information when registering with RPRA:

  • Contact information
  • PRO information (if a PRO has been retained at time of reporting), including what services they have retained a PRO for
  • Their 2020 supply data in each of the seven material categories– beverage container, glass material, flexible plastic, metal material, paper material, and certified compostable products and packaging material – as well as any deductions.

  Please note that this information must be submitted to RPRA directly.

  See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”

   

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems , Management activities , Producer , Registration , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu Are Blue Box materials that are supplied to the IC&I sector, such as long-term care homes, obligated?

  Blue Box materials supplied to a business (e.g., the operators of a long-term care home) are not obligated, however, there are no deductions available for materials supplied to a consumer in an IC&I setting (e.g., a resident of a long-term care home).

  Any Blue Box materials supplied to consumers in Ontario are obligated. Blue Box materials supplied to the IC&I sector are not obligated (except beverage containers which are obligated regardless of the sector supplied into).

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