Frequently Asked Questions

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

  Topic: Disposal facility , Hauler , PRO , Processor , Producer , Refurbisher , Registration , Reporting , Retreader

  Toggle the submenu Does RPRA accept requests for extending registration or reporting deadlines?

  No. Effective February 6, 2023, RPRA will no longer accept requests for extensions to registration or reporting deadlines. Obligated parties should make every effort to ensure they meet all submission deadlines as part of their obligations under their associated regulation.

  For more guidance, read the Late Registration or Report Submissions Compliance Bulletin.

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

  Topic: Disposal facility , Hauler , PRO , Processor , Producer , Refurbisher , Reporting , Retreader

  Toggle the submenu What are the potential consequences of late reporting?

  Failure of an obligated party to meet a registration or reporting deadline may result in compliance action, including compliance orders, prosecutions or monetary penalties issued in accordance with the Administrative Penalties Guidelines.

  In accordance with the Risk Based Compliance Framework, RPRA will communicate to obligated parties, via email, about their reporting requirements in advance of submission deadlines. RPRA will also send deadline reminders and notify missed deadlines to obligated parties prior to taking further compliance action.

  For more guidance, read the new Late Registration or Report Submissions Compliance Bulletin.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Management activities , PRO , Producer

  Toggle the submenu What are Blue Box management requirements?

  A producer’s management requirement is how much Blue Box material they must ensure is collected and processed into recovered resources each year. Management requirements are calculated based on what they supplied into Ontario one year prior and the resource recovery percentage as set in the regulation. A producer’s management requirement is calculated separately for each Blue Box material category (beverage container, glass, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, metal and paper).

  Some producer are exempt from having a management requirement based on their supply data, for more information on exemptions see the FAQ Are there exemptions for Blue Box producers? A producer that does not have a management requirement does not have any collection, management or promotion and education obligations.

  A producer with a management requirement must also provide collection and promotion and education services in Ontario. Most producers will contract the services of a producer responsibility organization (PRO) to meet their collection, management and promotion and education obligations.

  To view your management requirement(s), log into your registry account, download a copy of your Blue Box Supply Report and review the section with your minimum management requirements. Management requirement for a given year are determine by supply data from two years prior. For example, 2023 management requirements were based on 2021 supply data (submitted in producers’ 2022 Supply Report).

  Unsure if you are a Blue Box producer? See our FAQs Am I a producer of Blue Box product packaging? And Am I a producer of paper products and packaging-like products?

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• Program: Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products

  Topic: Collection systems , PRO , Processor , Producer

  Toggle the submenu Do I dispose of my empty paints cans, pesticides, solvents and fertilizers at Blue Box collection sites or HSP collection sites?

  Paints, pesticides, solvents fertilizers obligated under the HSP Regulation along with their primary packaging must be accepted at collection sites collecting the corresponding material. For instance, empty paint cans and pesticide aerosols obligated under the HSP Regulation must be accepted at collection sites collecting paint and pesticides.

  See our FAQ to understand “Under the HSP Regulation, is the packaging of antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings obligated?” and “Are containers that are obligated under the HSP Regulation obligated as Blue Box materials?“

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

  Topic: Producer , Registry

  Toggle the submenu What is the difference between an account admin, a primary and a secondary user in the Registry portal?

  Account admins have access to all information within a registrant’s account. They can create and assign primary and secondary users’ access to the account, edit and submit reports, and pay fees. They are the only ones who can manage PROs.  Account admins can view all activities users undertake. They will also be the recipient of emails from the Registry portal.

  Primary users can only assign secondary users’ access to the account, edit and submit reports and pay fees.

  Secondary users can only edit and submit reports and pay fees.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu Are cheques an obligated material?

  Yes, cheques are an obligated material and should be reported under the paper material category. If you have questions regarding how to determine whether you are the brand holder and are obligated to report the supply of cheques, please reach out to the Compliance & Registry team at registry@rpra.ca.

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

  Topic: PRO , Producer , Registry

  Toggle the submenu Why can’t I see the Manage PRO widget to add my PRO choice?

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

  Topic: Producer

  Toggle the submenu Who is a brand holder?

  A brand is any mark, word, name, symbol, design, device or graphical element, or a combination thereof, including a registered or unregistered trademark, which identifies a product and distinguishes it from other products.

  A brand holder is a person who owns or licenses a brand or otherwise has rights to market a product under the brand.

  Note:

  • If there are two or more brand holders, the producer most directly connected to the production of the material is the brand holder.
  • If more than one material produced by different brand holders are marketed as a single package, the producer who is more directly connected to the primary product in the package is the brand holder.

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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: Collection systems , PRO , Producer

  Toggle the submenu What collection service obligations do producers have to eligible communities that currently receive recycling curbside collection but residents also have access to “secondary” or “convenience” recycling depots?

  Where an entire community is receiving recycling curbside collection and has access to recycling depots, the requirement is that during transition, that same level of service is still provided. After transition, there is no requirement to maintain depots within these communities.

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