Ontario wants input on producer responsibility for hazardous products

The Ontario government is seeking input on a proposed draft regulation for hazardous and special products that would require producers of hazardous to collect, manage or promote the recycling or proper disposal of these products at end-of-life.

The products include paints, pesticides, solvents, oil filters, antifreeze and pressurized containers, for example.

The proposed regulation would require producers to:

• establish free collection networks for consumers;
• manage all collected hazardous and special products (HSP) properly, including meeting procedures for recycling, where possible, or disposal;
• provide promotion and education (P&E) materials to increase awareness;
• register, report, provide audited/verified sales data, keep records and meet other requirements;
• require producers to transparently reflect any related charges that are intended to be passed on to consumers.

The current Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) Program is scheduled to end on June 30, 2021 and would be replaced by a new proposed Hazardous and Special Products producer responsibility regulation under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA). The new regulation is expected to be fully in effect on July 1, 2021, once approvals are obtained.

The new proposed Hazardous and Special Products regulation would encourage greater consumer accessibility to HSP collection sites or services. The objective is to prevent additional hazardous materials from going to landfill and reduce the amount of resources from these products that are lost to disposal.

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is seeking input on the proposed regulation until March 28, 2021.