As of October 1, 2021, all brand holders based in Canada who provide packaged product to consumers in Ontario will be required to pay an annual fee to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA). This fee goes towards the administration of oversight and compliance of the new Blue Box recycling program.
Brand holders are required to register and report their 2020 supply data to the Authority on or before October 1, 2021. Brand holders will also be required to pay their 2021 Registry fee when submitting their 2020 supply data.
Brand holders must complete a registration form and email it as an attachment to registry@rpra.ca by the October 1 deadline. Brand holders who fail to meet this deadline will be out of compliance with the Blue Box Regulation and may be subject to enforcement actions by the Authority.
A few FAQs that may help you get started:
Am I a Brand holder / producer under the new regulation?
The Blue Box Regulation applies to producers of products and packaging supplied to consumers in Ontario. Most stewards in the current Blue Box Program administered by Stewardship Ontario will be obligated as producers under the new regulation. For more information on who is obligated as a producer, visit the RPRA website.
I already reported my 2020 supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle Portal. Do I have to report again to the Authority?
Yes. If you previously reported your 2020 supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle portal, you must also report your 2020 supply data to the Authority in order to meet your requirements under the Blue Box Regulation. Read more in the FAQ.
When do I need to sign up with a PRO?
There are no deadlines for a producer to sign up with a Producer Responsibility Organization (or PRO), and producers are not required to have a contract with a PRO prior to the October 1 registration deadline. Learn more about PROs.
While selecting a PRO is not required to fulfill your registration and reporting requirements, producers who want to ensure that they are represented through the rule creation process should have a representation agreement in place with a PRO.
The rule creation process will determine how producers will be assigned collection requirements through an allocation table. The rules may be submitted to the Authority as early as January 1, 2022.
2021 Fees
To understand if your company is required to pay the fees, and to learn more about the program visit the RPRA website or view a recording of the recent information session available here.
The OPMA has asked RPRA to provide answers to several questions specific to the produce industry. Reponses can be found here. .
Brand holders are required to register and report their 2020 supply data to the Authority on or before October 1, 2021. Brand holders will also be required to pay their 2021 Registry fee when submitting their 2020 supply data.
Brand holders must complete a registration form and email it as an attachment to registry@rpra.ca by the October 1 deadline. Brand holders who fail to meet this deadline will be out of compliance with the Blue Box Regulation and may be subject to enforcement actions by the Authority.
A few FAQs that may help you get started:
Am I a Brand holder / producer under the new regulation?
The Blue Box Regulation applies to producers of products and packaging supplied to consumers in Ontario. Most stewards in the current Blue Box Program administered by Stewardship Ontario will be obligated as producers under the new regulation. For more information on who is obligated as a producer, visit the RPRA website.
I already reported my 2020 supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle Portal. Do I have to report again to the Authority?
Yes. If you previously reported your 2020 supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle portal, you must also report your 2020 supply data to the Authority in order to meet your requirements under the Blue Box Regulation. Read more in the FAQ.
When do I need to sign up with a PRO?
There are no deadlines for a producer to sign up with a Producer Responsibility Organization (or PRO), and producers are not required to have a contract with a PRO prior to the October 1 registration deadline. Learn more about PROs.
While selecting a PRO is not required to fulfill your registration and reporting requirements, producers who want to ensure that they are represented through the rule creation process should have a representation agreement in place with a PRO.
The rule creation process will determine how producers will be assigned collection requirements through an allocation table. The rules may be submitted to the Authority as early as January 1, 2022.
2021 Fees
To understand if your company is required to pay the fees, and to learn more about the program visit the RPRA website or view a recording of the recent information session available here.
The OPMA has asked RPRA to provide answers to several questions specific to the produce industry. Reponses can be found here. .