Registration for Blue Box producers is now open

Deadline is October 1, 2021

We are writing to you as an industry association with members that may have obligations under Ontario’s new Blue Box Regulation. The information below was sent to potential Blue Box producers notifying them that registration with the Authority is now open. We are sharing it with you as it may be of interest to you and your members.

You are probably getting questions from your members about the new Blue Box regulation, so we are hosting a webinar for industry associations on Monday, September 13, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. During this webinar, we will walk you through the producer registration and reporting process so that you can support your members in getting the answers they need. Register for the webinar.

If you or your members have questions about the registration process or the regulation more generally, contact our Compliance and Registry Team at registry@rpra.ca or call 647-496-0530 or toll-free at 1-833-600-0530. 

Registration for Blue Box producers is now open

Producers are required to register and report their 2020 supply data to the Authority on or before October 1, 2021. Producers will also be required to pay their 2021 Registry fee when submitting their 2020 supply data. See below for more information on Registry fees.

Producers must complete this Registration Form and email it as an attachment to registry@rpra.ca on or before October 1, 2021.

See below for resources to help you complete your registration and reporting. 

Here are a few FAQs that may help you get started:

Am I a 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 our 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 our 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 1registration deadline. Producers who want to ensure that they are represented through the rule creation process should have a representation agreement in place with a PRO. Learn more about PROs.

What are Registry fees?

Registry fees are charges that obligated producers pay to the Authority annually to fund its operations, including the costs related to building and operating the Registry, and compliance and enforcement activities. The Authority’s Registry fees do not go towards establishing or implementing collection and management systems in Ontario.

In 2021, producers obligated under the Blue Box Regulation are required to pay their 2021 Registry fee when they submit their 2020 supply data. There are no fees for Blue Box processors or PROs in 2021.

The 2021 fees for Blue Box are:

*    Producer: < 50,000 kg paper/packaging supplied* — $75 flat fee

*    Producer: >= 50,000 kg paper/packaging supplied* —   $0.0038 (0.38¢) per kg supplied

*The kg supplied for Blue Box material is based on 2020 supply data required to be submitted by producers under the Blue Box Regulation.

The Authority consulted on its proposed fees from June 18 to August 3, 2021. The Authority considered all feedback received during the consultation as it finalized the fees. Visit our consultation webpage to learn more about the consultation process and read the consultation report.

Resources

*    Download Registration Form

*    Visit our Blue Box producer webpage

*    Check out the recording and presentation slides from our webinar focused on Blue Box producer requirements

*    Review our Blue Box FAQs

*    Contact the Compliance and Registry Team at registry@rpra.ca or call 647-496-0530 or toll-free at 1-833-600-0530