Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ filtered results:

Program: Excess Soil

Topic: Registry

The ministry is responsible for policy and programs related to Excess Soil and will conduct compliance and enforcement activities under the regulation. More information about the regulation is available on the ministry’s Excess Soil webpage.
Program: Excess Soil

Topic: Registry

In December 2019, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (the ministry) released a regulation under the Environmental Protection Act, titled “On-Site and Excess Soil Management” (the regulation) to support improved management of Excess Soil.

This regulation supports proper management of Excess Soils, ensuring valuable resources don’t go to waste and to provide clear rules on managing and reusing Excess Soil. Risk-based standards referenced by this regulation help to facilitate local beneficial reuse promote reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from soil transportation, while ensuring strong protection of human health and the environment. The risk-based standards can be found in the document adopted by reference under this regulation, Rules for Soil Management and Excess Soil Quality Standards.
Program: Excess Soil

Topic: Registry

Excess Soil is soil that has been dug up, typically during construction and excavation activities. It must be moved off-site because it can’t or won’t be reused at the development site.

Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Producer , Registration , Reporting

Yes. You are required to submit 2018, 2019 and 2020 supply data when registering with the Authority if you are a producer of oil filters, oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings, refillable or non-refillable pressurized containers and:

supplied materials between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2021, and
your average weight of supply is above the threshold stated in the below table

Type of HSP	Average weight of supply in respect of the previous calendar year (tonnes)
Oil Filters	3.5
Antifreeze	20
Oil Containers	2
Paints and Coatings	10
Pesticides	1
Non-refillable Pressurized Containers	3
Refillable Pressurized Containers	8
Solvents	3

Otherwise, a producer must register on or before July 31 of the first calendar year in which the producer exceeds the above threshold. To calculate your average weight of supply, reference the Registration Form.

Program: Blue Box

Topic: Management activities , Producer , Reporting

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.
Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Collection systems , Management activities , Producer , Promotion and Education , Registration , Reporting
As an obligated HSP producer, you are required to:

register and report annual supply and performance data of obligated materials

meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for collection and management

meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for promotion and education

meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for auditing, verification, and record keeping

These requirements vary based on material type and amount of material the producer supplies.
Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Producer
The HSP Regulation has 13 materials obligated under it. Materials that share the same obligations have been grouped into categories.

Category A:

Oil Filters: produced and/or arriving in Ontario, and which are for sale, directly or as part of a product
a) a spin-on style filter or element-style fluid filter that is sold separately or as part of a product, that is used in hydraulic, transmission or internal combustion engine applications,
(b) a filter used for oil, diesel fuel, storage tank fuel, coolant, household furnace fuel, and
(c) a sump type automatic transmission filter

Non-refillable pressurized containers: that are used for the supply of a gas product, including propane, but cannot be refilled

Category B:

Refillable pressurized containers: that are used for the supply of a gas and can be refilled

Antifreeze: that contains ethylene or propylene glycol used or intended for use as a vehicle engine coolant

Oil containers: that have a capacity of 30 litres or less and that was manufactured and used for the purpose of containing new lubricating oil

Solvents: that are used to dissolve or thin a compatible substance, comprised of 10% or more of water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbons, including halogen-substituted liquid hydrocarbons

Paints and coatings: that contain latex, oil or solvent-based architectural coatings whether tinted or untinted, non-pesticide marine paints, paints for automotive craft and industrial applications

Pesticides: fungicides, herbicides or insecticides that are registered under the Pest Control Products Act

Category C:

Barometers: that contain mercury, are intended for residential use and may contain electronic components

Thermometers: that contain mercury, are intended for residential use to measure body or air temperature and may contain electronic component

Thermostats: that contain mercury, and may contain electronic components

Category D:

Fertilizers: any substance or mixture of substances containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or other plant food, manufactured, sold or represented for use as a plant nutrient and regulated under the Fertilizers Act (Canada)

Category E:

Refillable propane containers: A pressurized container that can be refilled, has a water capacity of 109 litres or less and is used only for propane

See our FAQ to understand “Is the packaging of antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings obligated?” and “What are the key changes to antifreeze, solvents, refillable pressurized containers, paints and coatings material definitions?”
Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Producer
The following materials include the product’s primary packaging:

Antifreeze

Paints and coatings

Pesticides

Solvents

Note: This does not include primary packaging made of corrugated and boxboard boxes, plastic film, shrink wrap or printed materials.

Oil containers, solvents, paints and coatings, fertilizers and pesticides continue to only be obligated when supplied in a container that has a capacity is less than 30 litres or 30 kilograms.

All antifreeze supplied – regardless of container size – must be reported. However, the antifreeze container is only obligated when supplied in a container that has a capacity that is less than 30 litres or 30 kilograms.

See our FAQ to understand “Are containers that are obligated under the Hazardous and Special Products (HSP) Regulation obligated as Blue Box materials?”
Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Producer
There have been some key changes to the material definitions which may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported:

Antifreeze now includes factory fill

Solvents that are captured by the definition are obligated regardless of how they are marketed

Paints and coatings now include:

All non-pesticide marine paint products, regardless of whether it was contained in an aerosol container or not

Aerosol automotive paints

Aerosol craft paints

Aerosol industrial paints

Paints and coatings meeting the definition of this material and being supplied to IC&I are now obligated

Refillable Pressurized Containers supplied to IC&I are now obligated
Program: Hazardous and Special Products

Topic: Producer
Producers of every type of HSP are required to keep records for a period of five years from the date of the record being created.

Producers must keep records that relate to the following:

arranging for the establishment or operation of a collection or management system

establishing or operating a collection or management system

information required to be submitted to the Authority through the Registry

implementing a promotion and education program

weight of each type of HSP within each applicable category of HSP supplied to consumers in Ontario, regardless of whether information about the weight was required to be submitted to the Authority

any agreements that relate to the above records