If you are a First Nation or municipality that collects batteries at a depot or through collection events, or if you are a retailer or organization that provides collection boxes at your location, you do not have registration or reporting requirements under the Batteries Regulation as a collector. However, if you are also a battery producer, hauler, processor or refurbisher, additional responsibilities may apply.
Battery producers are responsible for collecting and reusing, refurbishing or recycling their batteries when consumers discard them. Starting July 1, 2020, producers of batteries must meet accessibility requirements to ensure residents across the province can safely dispose of their used batteries. They have the choice to set up their own collection networks or work with a producer responsibility organization (PRO) to set up a collection network on their behalf.
Producers or PROs will contract with battery haulers (transporters) who arrange for the transport of batteries from collection sites. While producers and PROs are required to report the location of the collection sites in their network to RPRA, there are no registration or reporting requirements for collection site operators.
There is no requirement for a retailer, organization, First Nation community or municipality to facilitate used battery collection services under the Batteries Regulation.
Click on the links to learn more about the specific requirements for:
Click the headings below to learn more about the responsibilities of a collection site.
If First Nations, municipalities or other collection site operators want to collect used batteries as a service to customers or residents, they need to ensure their sites are included in a collection network.
Most producers will be working with service providers, such as PROs, processors or haulers to operate their collection networks. First Nation communities, municipalities, and collection site operators should contact service provider registered with RPRA listed here.
Since producers can reduce their accessibility requirements by providing options such as curbside collection or collection events, municipalities and First Nations will also need to contact a service provider if they are interested in providing these services to their residents.
For batteries collected from a collection site to count towards a producer’s management requirements, the site must accept batteries free of charge and satisfy the following additional requirements:
If the battery collection site is not part of a retail location, it must accept all batteries.
If the site is part of a retail location, it must accept (at a minimum) all batteries that are of a similar size, function and category of batteries sold at the location.
The site must be readily accessible to the public and operate during normal business hours.
If the battery collection site is not a municipality or First Nation, it must be operated and accept batteries during normal business hours throughout the performance year.
Municipal and First Nation collection sites are permitted to operate seasonally or for a limited number of days per week.
The site must accept, at a minimum, up to 15 kg of batteries per day from any person.
Haulers, refurbishers or processors who pick up and process used batteries for a producer, must be registered with RPRA for the batteries they transport and process to count towards a producer’s management requirement.
First Nation communities, Ontario crown sites and municipalities with a population of less than 1,000 can contact a producer or a PRO to arrange a pick-up once they collect one tonne of batteries (either rechargeable or single-use). The producer or PRO must collect the batteries within one year from the time the request is made. Producers or PROs must make reasonable efforts to pick up batteries within one year from First Nation reserves in the Far North
