Regarding Ontario’s draft…

Regarding Ontario’s draft blue box regulations (ERO #019-2579), please see my comments below.

Ontario needs to address the growing problem of waste, stop plastic pollution and build a strong circular economy.

Implementing full and effective Extended Producer Responsibility regulations to make companies responsible for dealing with the waste and packaging they create is an important step.

However, I am concerned that the proposed regulations will not reduce packaging waste and pollution since the regulation includes dangerous loopholes and ignores the largest sources of waste.

Ontario’s new recycling regulation must:

- Hold companies responsible for the packaging and single use products they put on the market.
- Set high recycling targets to force companies to redesign packaging or products so they can be collected and recycled.
- Ensure targets include detailed materials categories so companies can’t ignore the hardest to recycle materials.
- Include deadlines and consequences: if certain products or materials aren’t getting recycled, they should be banned or phased out.
- Include strong government oversight, annual audits and public reporting so we can trust that what we put in the blue box actually gets recycled.
- Hold producers responsible for packaging labelled as “compostable”, with targets like all other forms of packaging.
- Ensure every Ontarian can recycle at home, no matter where they live, and when they're in public spaces.
- Covers all packaging and product waste - including materials from non-residential and commercial sources such as restaurants, offices, public buildings, institutions.

Please consider these comments as a response to A proposed regulation, and proposed regulatory amendments, to make producers responsible for operating blue box programs, ERO# 019-2579.