Questions about the Batteries Program?

We have answers! Read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.

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. You may have responsibilities if you are a collector who is also a producer or a hauler.

Battery producers are responsible for collecting and reusing, refurbishing or recycling their batteries when consumers discard them. The new regulation includes both single-use (primary) and rechargeable batteries that weigh 5 kg or less and are sold separately in Ontario (i.e. not embedded in products).

Producers 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 the Authority, there is no registration or reporting requirements for municipalities or collection site operators.

There is no requirement for a retailer, organization 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 Nations, municipalities, and collection site operators should contact service provider registered with the Authority 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 PRO if they are interested in providing these services to their residents.

In order 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.
The site must accept, at a minimum, up to 15 kg of batteries per day from any person.
If the site is not part of a retail location and accepts more than 15 kg of batteries from a person on a single day, the site operator must record the person’s name, contact information, any unique identifier assigned by the Registrar and the weight of batteries accepted.

Haulers, refurbishers or processors who pick up and process used batteries for a PRO or producer, must be registered with the Authority in order for the batteries they transport and process to count towards a producer’s management requirement.

Municipalities with a population of less than 1,000, First Nation sites or Ontario crown sites 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. This requirement does not apply to collection sites operated in the Far North.

Wind up of the Orange Drop program for single-use batteries

On June 30, 2020, Stewardship Ontario ended its program for managing single-use batteries as part of the Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (“Orange Drop”) Program. This includes the Battery Incentive Program and payment program for municipalities that collect batteries at municipal depots or collection events. Note that Stewardship Ontario will continue to operate the Orange Drop program for other materials until June 30, 2021. Visit Stewardship Ontario’s website for details.

Have a question?

Contact our Compliance and Registry Team at registry@rpra.ca or 1-833-600-0530.