New Products Under Consideration
The Recycling Regulation, enacted on October 7, 2004 under the authority of the Environmental Management Act, currently includes product categories for electronics, tires, beverage containers, used oil, oil filters and oil containers, paint, pharmaceuticals, and residuals (flammable liquids, solvents, pesticides and gasoline). The regulation makes the producer (manufacturer, distributor, importer) responsible for the life-cycle management of their products, including financing the collection and recycling of discarded products.
The Ministry of Environment has a Service Plan commitment to add two new product categories to industry-led product stewardship every three years. A list of the candidate products that the province is considering is as follows:
New Products Categories
- Antifreeze and hydraulic fluid
- Batteries (alkaline, lithium, lead acid, etc.)
- Mercury containing products (light bulbs, switches, thermometers, thermostats, medical equipment, etc.)
- Packaging (paper, plastic, metal, glass) **
- White goods (fridge, stove, chloroflorocarbon containing, etc.)
- Pool and photographic chemicals
- Furniture and textiles
- Construction and demolition waste
- Automobiles
Expand Existing Product Categories
- Electronics **
- Paint
- Pesticides
- Solvents and other flammables
- Pharmaceuticals
** phased approach
This candidate list is comprised of product categories that have been identified as suitable for industry-led product stewardship by local governments, other provinces and other interested stakeholders. In general, these products have been selected because there is a high likelihood that environmental benefits can be derived from improved management of these products.
The ministry distributed this candidate list in the June 2007 letter below to stakeholders and interested parties.
The consultation on that list is now complete and an announcement below was made on April 24, 2008 that government intends to add mercury-containing light bulbs and thermostats to the Recycling Regulation as well as expand the existing electronics product category. The ministry also intends to use this list of candidate products to select products for inclusion in the Recycling Regulation in future years.
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