Posted on July 20, 2022 by Michelle Hoover -
Free riders are obligated parties that:
- Have not registered or reported to RPRA
- Have not established a collection and management system (if they are so required to), or;
- Are not operating a collection and management system (if they are so required to).
See our FAQs to understand “What is RPRA’s approach to free riders?”, and “What do I do if I think a business is a free rider?”
To note:
- Some producers only have requirements to register and report. Please refer to your specific program page on our website to understand producer obligations.
- Collection and management systems may be accomplished by a producer responsibility organization (PRO) on behalf of a producer through contractual arrangements between the producer and PRO. If a PRO is managing a producer’s collection and management requirements, producers must identify that PRO to RPRA.
Posted on July 4, 2022 by Michelle Hoover -
RPRA considers an aerosol container to be a non-refillable receptacle that contains a product and a propellant under pressure, and that is fitted with a release device allowing the contents to be ejected as solid or liquid particles in suspension in a gas, or as a foam, paste, powder, liquid, or gas.
Posted on June 7, 2022 by Michelle Hoover -
Under the Batteries, EEE, HSP, and Tire Regulations, a consumer is any end user of a product. A consumer includes an individual who obtains the product for the individual’s own use and a business that obtains the product for the business’s own use.
See our FAQ to understand “Who is a consumer under the Blue Box Regulation?”
Posted on June 3, 2022 by Monica Ahmed -
A “Public space” means an outdoor area in a park, playground or beside/on a sidewalk, a public transit station or stop under municipal or provincial jurisdiction, including a track-level stop, to which the public is normally provided access.
During transition, producers are required to collect Blue Box material from public space receptacles in eligible communities that were provided collection service under the WDTA program.
The definition of a “public space” in the Blue Box Regulation is broader than the definition used in the Datacall for WDTA municipal funding purposes. For the purpose of collection services during transition, producers must collect from eligible communities’ public space receptacles collected as part of a communities’ Blue Box servicing that was funded under the WDTA Blue Box program (i.e., those along residential routes).
Posted on April 18, 2022 by Michelle Hoover -
If a producer misreports their supply data to RPRA, they must contact the Compliance and Registry Team immediately by emailing registry@rpra.ca. Please include the following information in the email:
- The rationale for the change in the data
- Any data that supports the need for a correction (e.g., sales documents, audit)
- Any other information to support the change
While it is an offence to submit false or misleading information under the RRCEA, RPRA wants this corrected as quickly to ensure a producer’s minimum management requirement is calculated using accurate supply data.
RPRA can only receive these requests from the primary contact on the company’s Registry account. Your request for an adjustment will be reviewed by a Compliance and Registry Officer.
Posted on January 24, 2022 by Michelle Hoover -
A producer can grant access to anyone they would like to authorize in their reporting (i.e. Registry) portal. Producer reporting must be done in the producer account and batch data transfers are not accepted.
Posted on January 24, 2022 by Michelle Hoover -
Under the HSP Regulation, producers are required to make reasonable efforts to establish and operate at least as many collection sites for each type of HSP in each local municipality, territorial district or reserve as the number of sites that were operated on September 30, 2021.
Producers are also required to make reasonable efforts to hold at least as many collection events for that type of HSP in each local municipality, territorial district or reserve as the number of events that were held in the 2020 calendar year.
Posted on October 20, 2021 by Michelle Hoover -
Yes. You are required to submit 2018, 2019 and 2020 supply data when registering with the Authority if you are a producer of oil filters, oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings, refillable or non-refillable pressurized containers and:
- supplied materials between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2021, and
- your average weight of supply is above the threshold stated in the below table
| Type of HSP | Average weight of supply in respect of the previous calendar year (tonnes) |
| Oil Filters | 3.5 |
| Antifreeze | 20 |
| Oil Containers | 2 |
| Paints and Coatings | 10 |
| Pesticides | 1 |
| Non-refillable Pressurized Containers | 3 |
| Refillable Pressurized Containers | 8 |
| Solvents | 3 |
Otherwise, a producer must register on or before July 31 of the first calendar year in which the producer exceeds the above threshold. To calculate your average weight of supply, reference the Registration Form.
Posted on October 20, 2021 by Jess Turchet -
Under the Blue Box Regulation, allowable deductions for producers include Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is not an eligible source and where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied and used or consumed.
This applies to food court restaurants located in a mall or in the base of an office tower. Blue Box materials that were disposed of in the buildings’ recycling receptacles and were supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are an allowable deduction. Blue Box materials that were disposed of in the buildings’ recycling receptacles but were not supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are not deductible.
This does not reduce the obligation of a producer to provide complete and accurate supply data or limit the ability of an Authority inspector to review the data and related records for the purpose of determining compliance.
Posted on October 19, 2021 by Michelle Hoover -
As an obligated HSP producer, you are required to:
- register and report annual supply and performance data of obligated materials
- meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for collection and management
- meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for promotion and education
- meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for auditing, verification, and record keeping
These requirements vary based on material type and amount of material the producer supplies.
Posted on October 19, 2021 by Michelle Hoover -
The HSP Regulation has 13 materials obligated under it. Materials that share the same obligations have been grouped into categories.
Category A:
- Oil Filters: produced and/or arriving in Ontario, and which are for sale, directly or as part of a product
a) a spin-on style filter or element-style fluid filter that is sold separately or as part of a product, that is used in hydraulic, transmission or internal combustion engine applications,
(b) a filter used for oil, diesel fuel, storage tank fuel, coolant, household furnace fuel, and
(c) a sump type automatic transmission filter
- Non-refillable pressurized containers: that are used for the supply of a gas product, including propane, but cannot be refilled
Category B:
- Refillable pressurized containers: that are used for the supply of a gas and can be refilled
- Antifreeze: that contains ethylene or propylene glycol used or intended for use as a vehicle engine coolant
- Oil containers: that have a capacity of 30 litres or less and that was manufactured and used for the purpose of containing new lubricating oil
- Solvents: that are used to dissolve or thin a compatible substance, comprised of 10% or more of water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbons, including halogen-substituted liquid hydrocarbons
- Paints and coatings: that contain latex, oil or solvent-based architectural coatings whether tinted or untinted, non-pesticide marine paints, paints for automotive craft and industrial applications
- Pesticides: fungicides, herbicides or insecticides that are registered under the Pest Control Products Act
Category C:
- Barometers: that contain mercury, are intended for residential use and may contain electronic components
- Thermometers: that contain mercury, are intended for residential use to measure body or air temperature and may contain electronic component
- Thermostats: that contain mercury, and may contain electronic components
Category D:
- Fertilizers: any substance or mixture of substances containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or other plant food, manufactured, sold or represented for use as a plant nutrient and regulated under the Fertilizers Act (Canada)
Category E:
- Refillable propane containers: A pressurized container that can be refilled, has a water capacity of 109 litres or less and is used only for propane
See our FAQ to understand “Is the packaging of antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings obligated?” and “What are the key changes to antifreeze, solvents, refillable pressurized containers, paints and coatings material definitions?”
Posted on October 19, 2021 by Michelle Hoover -
The following materials include the product’s primary packaging:
- Antifreeze
- Paints and coatings
- Pesticides
- Solvents
Note: This does not include primary packaging made of corrugated and boxboard boxes, plastic film, shrink wrap or printed materials.
Oil containers, solvents, paints and coatings, fertilizers and pesticides continue to only be obligated when supplied in a container that has a capacity is less than 30 litres or 30 kilograms.
All antifreeze supplied – regardless of container size – must be reported. However, the antifreeze container is only obligated when supplied in a container that has a capacity that is less than 30 litres or 30 kilograms.
See our FAQ to understand “Are containers that are obligated under the Hazardous and Special Products (HSP) Regulation obligated as Blue Box materials?”
Posted on October 19, 2021 by Michelle Hoover -
There have been some key changes to the material definitions which may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported:
- Antifreeze now includes factory fill
- Solvents that are captured by the definition are obligated regardless of how they are marketed
- Paints and coatings now include:
- All non-pesticide marine paint products, regardless of whether it was contained in an aerosol container or not
- Aerosol automotive paints
- Aerosol craft paints
- Aerosol industrial paints
- Paints and coatings meeting the definition of this material and being supplied to IC&I are now obligated
- Refillable Pressurized Containers supplied to IC&I are now obligated
