Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ filtered results:

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

Topic: Collection systems , Collector , First Nation communities , Hauler , Management activities , Municipalities , PRO , Processor , Producer , Retreader

Here are the lists of registered PROs:

Tire PROs

Battery PROs

ITT/AV PROs

Lighting PROs

Blue Box PROs

Hazardous and Special Products PROs

These lists will continue to be updated as new PROs register with RPRA.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: First Nation communities

First Nation communities that currently operate a Blue Box program and have registered their interest with RPRA in participating in the new producer-run Blue Box program can engage with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to discuss a transition date. The transition date represents the earliest date that the producer responsibility organizations (or PROs) are required to provide collection services on behalf of producers to the community within the transition period (July 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025). See the transition schedule.

The transition date is not a deadline for a community to accept an offer from the PROs. If a community’s reporting and offer process extends past its transition date, the PROs are required to provide producer-run Blue Box collection services within three months of the community’s offer being signed.

See FAQ: What is a PRO?
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
If a Compliance Order is issued to a registrant by the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar, or if the registrant receives a decision from a Deputy Registrar issued as a result of a Request for Review of an inspector’s order, the registrant can appeal the order to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The registrant must serve written notice of their intention to appeal to the Registrar or Deputy Registrar who made the order and to the OLT within 15 days of being served with the order. The notice must include:

The parts of the order that the appeal pertains to; and

The grounds on which the person appealing the order intends to rely at the hearing.

The OLT will hold a hearing. The OLT may decide to confirm, vary, or revoke the order.

After a matter is decided by the OLT, the registrant or RPRA may appeal the OLT’s decision to the Divisional Court, but only on a question of law and with leave (permission) of the Divisional Court. If a party obtains leave, the appeal of the OLT decision will be heard by the Divisional Court. This process is governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure. The OLT’s decision is not automatically stayed (put on hold) by an appeal to the Divisional Court, but a stay may be granted by the OLT or the Court.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
Registrants may appeal an Administrative Penalty Order issued to them to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The registrant must serve written notice of their intention to appeal to the OLT and to the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar within 15 days of being served the order. The order will be temporarily stayed (put on hold) until a decision is rendered by the tribunal. The notice must include:

The parts of the order that the appeal pertains to; and

The grounds on which the person appealing the order intends to rely at the hearing.

The OLT will hold a hearing, and the OLT may confirm, vary, or revoke the order. The OLT cannot vary the amount of the penalty unless it considers the amount to be unreasonable.

After a matter is decided by the OLT, the registrant or RPRA may appeal the OLT’s decision to the Divisional Court, but only on a question of law and with leave (permission) of the Divisional Court. If a party obtains leave, the appeal of the OLT decision will be heard by the Divisional Court. This process is governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure. The OLT’s decision is not automatically stayed by an appeal to the Divisional Court, but a stay may be granted by the OLT or the Court.

See RPRA’s Administrative Penalties Guideline for further information.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
Registrants may request that a Deputy Registrar review a Compliance Order issued to them by an inspector. The request must be made, in writing, by the registrant to a Deputy Registrar within seven days of being served with the order. The request must include:

The parts of the order that the request for review pertains to;

Any submissions the person requesting the review wants considered; and

An address (physical or electronic) where the person can be served with the Deputy Registrar’s decision.

A Deputy Registrar will then review the order and can revoke, confirm, or amend the inspector’s order.

Deputy Registrars must either issue their decision or provide notice that more time is needed within seven days of receiving the request. If a Deputy Registrar provides notice that more time is needed, they must stay (put on hold) the order while it is under review, and the Deputy Registrar must issue their decision within 90 days.

If a Deputy Registrar does not issue a decision or provide notice that more time is needed within seven days of receiving the request for review, the order will remain as originally issued.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.

See the FAQ: ‘Can I appeal a Compliance Order issued to me?’ for information on appealing a compliance order.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems
Under the WDTA Blue Box program, some municipalities may have chosen to provide Blue Box collection to facilities that were not residences, such as commercial properties, municipally owned and operated buildings or other institutions.

Under the Blue Box Regulation, only certain types of facilities can receive collection under the producer-run Blue Box program. These facilities are:

Multi-residential facilities with six or more dwelling units

Retirement homes that are operated by a municipality or an entity that does not operate with the purpose of generating a profit or were included in the WDTA Blue Box program on August 15, 2019. “Retirement home” has the same meaning as in the Retirement Homes Act, 2010.

Long-term care homes that are non-profit long-term care homes or were included in the WDTA Blue Box program on August 15, 2019. “Long-term care home” has the same meaning as in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. “Non-profit long-term care home” has the same meaning as the regulations under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.

Buildings that contain public or private elementary or secondary schools. “School” and “private school” have the same meaning as in the Education Act.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems , Where to Recycle map

Blue Box materials (i.e., products and packaging made of metal, glass, paper, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, and beverage containers) are typically collected directly from residences through the provincial Blue Box Program. RPRA’s Where to Recycle map displays public locations for recycling materials that don’t belong in your Blue Box (e.g., batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting and tires).

For more information on recycling Blue Box materials, visit Circular Materials’ website. Circular Materials is the administrator of Ontario’s Blue Box collection system.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Excess Soil , Hazardous and Special Products , Hazardous Waste , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: General , Registry

Account admins can manage password resets for all active users in the account. Primary users are also able to manage password resets, but only for active users within the programs they are the primary user for. If secondary users require a password reset, they can reach out to the account admin or primary user to do so.

See FAQ: How can I reset a password in the registry?
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Excess Soil , Hazardous and Special Products , Hazardous Waste , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: General , Registry

The account admin or primary user navigates to the program homepage of which the user requiring a password reset is enrolled in. The account admin or primary user then clicks their username at the top right of the page to show the drop-down list and selects Manage Users.

In the Active Users table, the account admin or primary user clicks Reset Password on the row for the user they want to reset the password for and clicks Confirm.

The user’s password has now been reset. They will receive an email with a password reset link.

Note: the password reset link will expire within 24 hours. If the link expires before the user creates a new password, the account admin or primary must click “Reset Password” again to restart the process.

See the FAQ: Who can reset passwords in the registry?
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Reporting

For the purposes of supply reporting, a book is defined as a series of written, printed, or illustrated pages encased in a protective cover bound with glue or sewn with thread.

If you are unsure whether your product qualifies as a book, please contact RPRA’s Compliance and Registry Team at 1-833-600-0530 or by emailing registry@rpra.ca.

Also see:
Compliance Bulletin: What Blue Box materials need to be reported?