Frequently Asked Questions

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

  Topic: Compliance and Enforcement

  Toggle the submenu Can I request a review of a Compliance Order issued to me?

  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.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems

  Toggle the submenu What is an eligible facility under the Blue Box Regulation?

  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:

  1. Multi-residential facilities with six or more dwelling units
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Buildings that contain public or private elementary or secondary schools. “School” and “private school” have the same meaning as in the Education Act.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Collection systems , Where to Recycle map

  Toggle the submenu Why can’t I find a location on the Where to Recycle map for recycling Blue Box materials (e.g., glass, plastic, metal or paper packaging)?

  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.

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

  Topic: General , Registry

  Toggle the submenu Who can reset passwords in the 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? 

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

  Topic: General , Registry

  Toggle the submenu How can I reset a password in the 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?  

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Reporting

  Toggle the submenu How is a book defined under the Blue Box Regulation?

  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?

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu What types of food service packaging does a public sector institution need to include in its supply report?

  Public sector institutions must report all branded and unbranded Blue Box packaging supplied or sold with food served in their owned and operated on-site facilities. These facilities include but are not limited to cafeterias, pubs, cafes, and in the case of a college or university, faculty offices.

  It is important to consider other situations where food service Blue Box packaging is supplied to consumers. For example, a college must report the packaging used in their Culinary and Hospitality programs that allow students to take home food prepared in class.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: Producer , Reporting

  Toggle the submenu If I already reported my Blue Box supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle Portal, do I have to report again to RPRA?

  Yes, producers are legally required to register and report to RPRA. There are some differences between which materials were reported to Stewardship Ontario as a steward and what must now be reported to RPRA as a producer. Differences include:

  • newly obligated materials
  • brand holder in Canada now obligated (rather than Ontario)
  • producer must report total supply, and then report any weight to be deducted separately.

  During transition years, stewards must meet their requirements (e.g., paying fees to Stewardship Ontario) under the Blue Box Program Plan and the WDTA. Producers also have requirements under the new Blue Box Regulation and the RRCEA, which includes registering, reporting, paying their program fee to RPRA and establishing collection, management and promotion and education systems for Blue Box materials.

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• Program: Blue Box

  Topic: First Nation communities

  Toggle the submenu How can my community change its transition date?

  There is no requirement for a First Nation community to formally change its transition date. If a community is not ready to report and/or participate in the offer process with the PROs by the initial transition date or the date outlined in the Transition Schedule, the community can indicate that to RPRA and we will work with you and the PROs to track when your community is ready to move forward in the process.

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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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