Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
No. Recycling drop-off locations displayed on the map cannot:
- charge the public a fee to drop off materials that the location accepts.
- refuse the drop-off of materials displayed on the map. However, recycling locations can request reasonable requirements when consumers drop off an item to ensure health and safety. For example, sites may require that used oil filters are dropped off in sealed containers, light tubes are taped together, etc.
If you are charged a fee or refused drop off, you can report an issue about that specific location to RPRA (see our other FAQ for further instructions).
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
RPRA’s Where to Recycle map displays locations across Ontario where the public can drop off used materials to be recycled, such as batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste (e.g., paint, antifreeze, pesticides), lighting and tires, for free. Materials collected at these locations are reused, refurbished, recycled, or properly disposed of to help keep them out of landfill, recover valuable resources and protect our environment. Learn more here.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
If you experience an issue when dropping off your recyclables at a location displayed on the map, click the ‘Report an Issue’ link on that specific location. This link will open a form for you to fill out about the issue. RPRA’s Compliance Team will review the issue reported and take action, as necessary.
You may report an issue to RPRA because the recycling location:
- Charges you a fee to drop off materials accepted for recycling.
- *Refuses to accept your materials for recycling (only applicable if your materials are in line with the examples provided on the map).
- Displayed on the map does not actually exist.
- Is not open to the public or does not accept the materials during its business hours.
*Note: Recycling locations can request reasonable requirements when consumers drop off an item to ensure health and safety. For example, sites may require that used oil filters are dropped off in sealed containers, light tubes are taped together, etc.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
The Where to Recycle map displays locations that the public can drop off used materials to be recycled, such as batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste (e.g., paint, antifreeze, pesticides), lighting and tires, for free. For specific examples of materials accepted and important information to know before dropping off materials, visit the Where to Recycle map.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
Typically, only municipal depots may require valid IDs when dropping off materials to recycle to confirm you live in that municipality. It is recommended to bring your ID with you to any location, just in case.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
If the map is not showing any recycling locations near you, you can:
- Try expanding your search by increasing the distance you’re willing to travel or modifying other filters.
- If there still isn’t a recycling location near you, contact the waste management department at your municipality for proper disposal instructions.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
The recycling locations that appear on the map are reported to RPRA by businesses that run the recycling systems
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
The recycling locations that appear on the map are reported to RPRA by PROs (or producers managing their own collection networks) as the administrators of the collection systems. The public collection activities that PROs report in their registry account are uploaded to the map in near real-time.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
This map provides locations for most materials captured under Ontario’s recycling programs, which are overseen by RPRA: batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting and tires. See below for more information on what to do with materials that aren’t displayed on the map.
Household hazardous waste
Drop-off locations for some household hazardous waste, such as refillable propane containers, refillable pressurized containers, fertilizers and mercury-containing thermostats, thermometers and barometers, aren’t displayed on the map because they aren’t required (under the recycling program) to be reported to RPRA.
However, there may be locations that accept these materials for recycling that aren’t listed on RPRA’s Where to Recycle map. To find a location to dispose of refillable propane containers, refillable pressurized containers, fertilizers or mercury-containing thermostats, thermometers and barometers, contact one of the businesses below or visit their website:
- Mobius PRO Services
- Offers services for refillable propane containers and refillable pressurized containers
- Phone: 833-266-2487 | Email: info@mobiuspro.ca | Website
- Product Care Association
- Offers services for fertilizers and refillable propane containers
- Website (includes a map with recycling locations)
- Ryse Solutions Ontario Inc.
- Offers services for fertilizers, refillable pressurized containers, refillable propane containers, barometers, thermometers and thermostats
- Phone: 289-352-1200 | Email: info@ryseinc.ca | Website
- Tank Traders
- Offers services for refillable propane containers
- Website (includes a map with recycling locations)
- Thermostat Recovery Program
- Offers services for thermostats
- Website (includes a map with recycling locations)
Other materials (e.g., organics, mattresses, textiles, etc.)
If you need to recycle materials outside of the programs that RPRA oversees (e.g., organics, mattresses, textiles, etc.), please contact the waste management department at your municipality for proper disposal instructions.
Posted on February 10, 2023 by Monica Ahmed -
Yes, a Blue Box producer or PRO (producer responsibility organization) on behalf of a producer, or a service provider on behalf of either party, can voluntarily choose to collect Blue Box materials that are not marketed to consumers.
Blue Box materials not marketed to consumers cannot be counted towards meeting a producer’s collection or management requirements under the Blue Box Regulation.
If Blue Box materials that are marketed to consumers are co-collected with Blue Box materials not marketed to consumers, a person must use a methodology or process acceptable to the Authority to account for materials supplied to a consumer or not. Anyone considering this can contact the Compliance Team to discuss at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.
For example, if Blue Box materials supplied to a consumer in Ontario are collected along the same collection route as Blue Box materials that were not supplied to a consumer, they must be accounted for separately. When those materials are then sent to a processor, they must also be accounted for separately.
See the FAQ: Who is a consumer under the Blue Box Regulation?
Posted on February 10, 2023 by Monica Ahmed -
Yes, a Blue Box producer, or PRO (producer responsibility organization) on behalf of a producer, or a service provider on behalf of either party, can choose to offer collection services to any location. Blue Box producers are required to provide collection services to all eligible sources, as well as public spaces.
Blue Box materials collected from locations that are not eligible sources cannot count towards meeting a producer’s management requirement unless they were supplied to a consumer in Ontario. See this FAQ: Who is a consumer under the Blue Box Regulation?
If a person is co-collecting from locations that are eligible sources and not eligible sources, a person must use a methodology or process acceptable to the Authority to account for materials collected from each type of source. Anyone considering this can contact the Compliance Team to discuss at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.
For example, if materials are collected from an eligible source and a location that is not an eligible source along the same collection route, they must be accounted for separately. When those materials are then sent to a processor, they must also be accounted for separately.
Posted on February 10, 2023 by Monica Ahmed -
Yes, a producer, a PRO (producer responsibility organization) on behalf of a producer, or a service provider on behalf of either party, can collect any product or material (including materials or products that are not designated under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA)). For example, a battery producer may choose to collect batteries that weigh over 5kg; a tire producer may choose to collect bicycle tires; or a Blue Box producer may choose to collect books.
Products or materials that are not designated under RRCEA regulations cannot be counted towards meeting a producer’s collection or management requirements under RRCEA.
If designated materials are co-collected with materials that are not designated, a person must use a methodology or process acceptable to the Authority to account for those materials. Anyone considering this can contact the Compliance Team to discuss at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.
For example, if bicycle tires are collected at the same time as automotive tires, they must be accounted for separately both when collected and when sent to a processor.
Posted on December 13, 2022 by RPRA Communications -
