Enhancing Public Reporting of Resource Recovery Data and RPRA Compliance Activities

RPRA consulted on Enhancing Public Reporting of Resource Recovery Data and RPRA Compliance Activities from Wednesday, June 22 to Friday, August 5, 2022.

Stakeholders were encouraged to visit RPRA’s Resource Recovery Reports webpage to review publicly reported resource recovery information currently available for the tires, batteries and ITT/AV programs, as well as read the consultation proposal, and submit feedback by August 5. Additionally, RPRA engaged directly with RPRA’s two Advisory Councils as well as six stakeholder groups to gather feedback on the proposal. RPRA considered all comments received during the consultation period. Stakeholder feedback and RPRA’s responses are summarized in the consultation report. Read the consultation report here.

Consultation Outcomes

Based on the feedback received during the consultation period, RPRA will take the following steps:

  • RPRA has accepted a number of the recommendations from the consultation. See Appendix C in the consultation report for a complete list of recommendations received and RPRA’s response to each of them.
  • In 2023, RPRA will create a permanent Public Reporting Working Group (“PRWG”) within the organization to develop and implement a Public Reporting Action Plan, which will include improvements to what, how, and when resource recovery performance and compliance activity information gets published.
    • As part of its mandate, the PRWG will engage directly with stakeholders on an ongoing basis to further understand and respond to their and the public’s needs.
  • For 2023, RPRA will publish reports on the following schedule:
    • Resource recovery reports:
      • Winter 2023: Blue Box materials, hazardous and special products (HSP) and lighting supply data reported to RPRA in fall 2022.
      • Fall 2023: Supply and performance data reported to RPRA in spring and summer 2023 for tires, batteries, ITT/AV and HSP; and Blue Box and lighting supply data reported to RPRA in 2023.
    • Compliance activity reports:
      Q2 2023: 2022 compliance activity report.

Background

Producers obligated under Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA) regulations are required to annually report to RPRA the amount of materials they supply into the Ontario market and the amount of materials collected and reused, refurbished or processed.

RPRA is responsible for providing information to the public about Ontario’s progress in advancing a circular economy, including reporting publicly on how producers are meeting the resource recovery requirements set out in the regulations. RPRA is also required to report publicly on compliance and enforcement activities.

As of June 2, 2022, resource recovery reports were separated from the annual report and published on RPRA’s Resource Recovery Reports webpage in an effort to allow for more flexible and earlier reporting of data.