Posted on February 13, 2024 by Monica Ahmed -
Under the WDTA Blue Box program, municipalities could choose to accept these materials in their programs. This choice varied between municipalities.
Under the producer-run Blue Box program, none of these materials are considered obligated Blue Box materials. The Blue Box Regulation specifically states that hard or soft cover books or products made from flexible plastic that is ordinarily used for the containment, protection and or handling of food, such as cling wrap, sandwich bags or freezer bags are not Blue Box materials. Pots and pans do not meet the definition of Blue Box material under the Regulation.
Producers are not obligated to collect or manage the recovery of these materials.
Posted on February 13, 2024 by Monica Ahmed -
Under the WDTA Blue Box program, some municipalities may have chosen to provide Blue Box collection to facilities that were not residences, such as commercial properties, municipally owned and operated buildings or other institutions.
Under the Blue Box Regulation, only certain types of facilities can receive collection under the producer-run Blue Box program. These facilities are:
- Multi-residential facilities with six or more dwelling units
- Retirement homes that are operated by a municipality or an entity that does not operate with the purpose of generating a profit or were included in the WDTA Blue Box program on August 15, 2019. “Retirement home” has the same meaning as in the Retirement Homes Act, 2010.
- Long-term care homes that are non-profit long-term care homes or were included in the WDTA Blue Box program on August 15, 2019. “Long-term care home” has the same meaning as in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. “Non-profit long-term care home” has the same meaning as the regulations under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
- Buildings that contain public or private elementary or secondary schools. “School” and “private school” have the same meaning as in the Education Act.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Michelle Hoover -
Blue Box materials (i.e., products and packaging made of metal, glass, paper, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, and beverage containers) are typically collected directly from residences through the provincial Blue Box Program. RPRA’s Where to Recycle map displays public locations for recycling materials that don’t belong in your Blue Box (e.g., batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting and tires).
For more information on recycling Blue Box materials, visit Circular Materials’ website. Circular Materials is the administrator of Ontario’s Blue Box collection system.
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 Uju Ani -
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:
- 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: [email protected] | 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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.
