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Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ filtered results:
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Program: Blue BoxTopic: Producer
A newspaper producer is a person who supplies newspapers to consumers in Ontario. For the purpose of the Blue Box Regulation, newspapers include broadsheet, tabloid or free newspaper. For further information, see the FAQ: What is a newspaper?
Note that a producer of supplemental advertisements or flyers that are supplied with a newspaper would not be considered a newspaper producer as they do not supply the actual broadsheet, tabloid, or free newspaper. This producer cannot use the newspaper exemption percentage to be exempt from Blue Box collection and management requirements. See the FAQ: Are there exemptions for Blue Box producers?
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Program: ITT/AVTopic: Producer , Registry , Reporting
For the purposes of ITT/AV supply reporting verification:
- “Large ITT/AV producer” means an ITT/AV producer with a minimum management requirement greater than or equal to 200,000 kilograms in the previous calendar year.
To view your management requirements, log into your Registry account, download a copy of your previous year’s Supply Report and review the section with your minimum management requirements for your reporting year.
Beginning in 2023, only large producers are required to submit a Supply Data Verification Report. Small producers will no longer be required to submit a verification report but will be subject to inspections. Review the Registry Procedure – Verification and Audit for more information.
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Program: BatteriesTopic: Producer , Registry , Reporting
For the purposes of battery supply reporting verification:
- “Large single-use battery producer” means a battery producer with a minimum management requirement greater than or equal to 50,000 kilograms of single-use batteries in the previous calendar year.
- “Large rechargeable battery producer” means a battery producer with a minimum management requirement greater than or equal to 5,000 kilograms of rechargeable batteries in the previous calendar year.
To view your management requirements, log into your Registry account, download a copy of your previous year’s Supply Report and review the section with your minimum management requirements for your reporting year.
Beginning in 2023, only large producers are required to submit a Supply Data Verification Report. Small producers will no longer be required to submit a verification report but will be subject to inspections. Review the Registry Procedure – Verification and Audit for more information.
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Program: Blue BoxTopic: Collection systems , Producer
Yes, a Blue Box producer or PRO (producer responsibility organization) on behalf of a producer, or a service provider on behalf of either party, can voluntarily choose to collect Blue Box materials that are not marketed to consumers.
Blue Box materials not marketed to consumers cannot be counted towards meeting a producer’s collection or management requirements under the Blue Box Regulation.
If Blue Box materials that are marketed to consumers are co-collected with Blue Box materials not marketed to consumers, a person must use a methodology or process acceptable to the Authority to account for materials supplied to a consumer or not. Anyone considering this can contact the Compliance Team to discuss at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.
For example, if Blue Box materials supplied to a consumer in Ontario are collected along the same collection route as Blue Box materials that were not supplied to a consumer, they must be accounted for separately. When those materials are then sent to a processor, they must also be accounted for separately.
See the FAQ: Who is a consumer under the Blue Box Regulation?
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Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , TiresTopic: Collection systems , Producer
Yes, a producer, a PRO (producer responsibility organization) on behalf of a producer, or a service provider on behalf of either party, can collect any product or material (including materials or products that are not designated under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA)). For example, a battery producer may choose to collect batteries that weigh over 5kg; a tire producer may choose to collect bicycle tires; or a Blue Box producer may choose to collect books.
Products or materials that are not designated under RRCEA regulations cannot be counted towards meeting a producer’s collection or management requirements under RRCEA.
If designated materials are co-collected with materials that are not designated, a person must use a methodology or process acceptable to the Authority to account for those materials. Anyone considering this can contact the Compliance Team to discuss at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.
For example, if bicycle tires are collected at the same time as automotive tires, they must be accounted for separately both when collected and when sent to a processor.
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Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , LightingTopic: PRO , Producer , Registry
The Manage PRO option will appear on the dashboard below your list of supply data reports when your supply data reporting is complete and if you have management requirements. If your supply data reporting is below the supply exemption threshold you will not have management requirements, and therefore not need to assign a PRO to assist with your obligations.
Also note that Account Admin are the only portal users that can manage your PRO’s responsibility, so this widget is not viewable to primary and secondary users.
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Program: LightingTopic: Collection systems , Management activities , Producer , Registration , Reporting
A lighting producer qualifies for an exemption if their management requirement isn’t more than 350 kg. The lighting producer is exempt from the following:
- Registering and reporting to RPRA;
- Establishing a collection and management system and meeting a management requirement; and
- Promotion and education requirements.
Management requirements are calculated using the formulas in the table below. For the 2022 reporting period, producers need to determine if they will be exempt for the 2023 performance period.
Performance Period Formula Exemption threshold (kg) Exempt if average annual supply less than (kg) 2023 (2018 supply + 2019 supply + 2020 supply) / 3×30% 350 1167 2024 (2019 supply + 2020 supply + 2021 supply) / 3×30% 350 1167 2025 (2020 supply + 2021 supply + 2022 supply) / 3×30% 350 1167 2026 (2021 supply + 2022 supply + 2023 supply) / 3×40% 350 875 2027 (2022 supply + 2023 supply + 2024 supply) / 3×50% 350 700 Producers not required to register and report are required to keep records as set out in section 30 of the regulation. Note: The minimum management requirement percentage increases for the 2025 supply report (2026 performance year) and subsequent years. While some producers may be exempt one year, they might not be exempt in subsequent years. Producers must verify that they continue to meet the exemption each year using the table above.
Producers are encouraged to confirm their exemption with the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca or 1-833-600-0530.
See our FAQ to understand “How are lighting producers’ minimum management requirements determined?” and “What do I have to do if I am an exempt lighting producer?”
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Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , TiresTopic: General , PRO , Producer , Registration
Free riders are obligated parties that:
- Have not registered or reported to RPRA
- Have not established a collection and management system (if they are so required to), or;
- Are not operating a collection and management system (if they are so required to).
See our FAQs to understand “What is RPRA’s approach to free riders?”, and “What do I do if I think a business is a free rider?”
To note:
- Some producers only have requirements to register and report. Please refer to your specific program page on our website to understand producer obligations.
- Collection and management systems may be accomplished by a producer responsibility organization (PRO) on behalf of a producer through contractual arrangements between the producer and PRO. If a PRO is managing a producer’s collection and management requirements, producers must identify that PRO to RPRA.
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Program: Batteries , Blue Box , ITT/AV , LightingTopic: 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.
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Program: Blue BoxTopic: Collection systems , General , Management activities , Producer , Reporting
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?”