Questions about the HSP program?

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

If you are a First Nation, municipality, retailer or organization that collects HSP whether through a depot, collection events or on-site collection containers, you are not required to register or report under the HSP Regulation as a collector. However, if you are also a producer, hauler, processor or disposal facility, additional responsibilities may apply.

HSP producers are responsible for collecting or managing their products when consumers discard them.

Starting October 1, 2021, HSP producers must meet accessibility requirements to ensure residents across the province can safely dispose of their used HSP material. Producers 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 of oil filters, non-refillable pressurized containers, antifreeze, oil containers, solvents, paints and coating, and pesticides are required to establish and operate a collection system. Producers of fertilizers are not required to establish and operate a collection system. Producers of mercury-containing devices, refillable propane containers and refillable pressurized containers are required to establish and operate a call-in collection service only for that type of HSP.

If a collection site for a type of HSP is operated by a municipality or territorial district, the collection site must accept, at a minimum, all types of HSP that are in the same category as that type of HSP. Producers, or PROs on their behalf, are responsible for the management of all products that fall under a type of HSP, regardless of the brand of the product.

Producers or PROs will contract with haulers who arrange for the transport of HSP from collection sites. While producers and PROs for certain HSP materials 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 collection services under the HSP 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 Nation communities, municipalities or other collection site operators want to collect used HSP as a service to customers or residents, they need to ensure their sites are included in a producer’s collection network.

Most producers will be working with service providers, such as PROs, processors or haulers to operate their collection networks. To join a collection network, First Nation communities, municipalities, and collection site operators should contact a service provider registered with RPRA. View the list of registered service providers here.

Municipalities and First Nations communities can also hold collection events. Collection events are typically one to two day events where members of the public or community can drop off materials such as HSP. These communities should contact a service provider if they are interested in providing these services to their residents.

All municipalities, territorial districts and First Nation communities can contact producers or PROs to arrange a pickup once they collect a specific amount of HSP material. The minimum amount required for pickup differs by category. For further information about this option, please see the HSP section of our Recycling in First Nation communities.

For HSP material collected from a collection site to count towards a producer’s collection or management requirements, the site must accept HSP free of charge and satisfy the following additional requirements:

Producers of antifreeze and oil containers that are required to establish and operate collection sites in a local municipality with a population of 5,000 or more, and where at least one retail location supplies the producer’s product, must ensure that at least 4% of the sites, rounding up to the nearest whole number, are accessible to the public.
If the HSP collection site is not a municipality or local services board, it must accept HSP 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.
If the HSP collection site is operated by a municipality or territorial district, the site must accept, at a minimum, all types of HSP in the same category.
The HSP collection site must accept, at a minimum, up to 25 kilograms per day of each type of HSP accepted at the site from any person. Note that haulers, processors or disposal facilities who pick up and process used HSP for a producer must be registered with RPRA for the HSP they transport and process to count towards a producer’s collection or management requirement.

As of January 1, 2025, collection sites are no longer required to keep records if they accept more than 50 kilograms of a type of HSP from a person on a single day.

Have a question?

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