Are you on top of Canadian EPR Stewardship compliance?
by Jianhong Hu at 15:17 in Environmental, Packaging, WEEE, Battery
Canada has always been a pioneer in the establishment of the EPR model. As early as 2009, the Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility was approved and adopted into the Canadian Waste Management Strategy. Provincial and territorial governments have been taking active progress in the EPR/Stewardship implementation since the national plan was approved. Nowadays, we can see more than 200 EPR/Stewardship programs covering an extensive range of products across Canada.
Extensive product coverage
Canadian EPR is well-known for its extensive product coverage. Similar to the European EPR model, packaging, electronics and batteries have been covered by some provinces under the EPR framework. Canadian EPR/Stewardship also regulates Pharmaceuticals, Paint, Refrigerants, Anti-freeze, Agricultural products, Oil etc.
Considering its wide-ranging product scope, it's crucial for companies to review if their Canadian salea fall into the scope of EPR.
Various provincial progress
Due to the nature of the Canadian legislative system, each jurisdiction has its own timeline for EPR implementation, resulting in different product scopes for registration and reporting under each jurisdiction's regulations. The product scope is frequently updated as well, to be in accordance with the regional EPR planning. For example, more electronic products are captured by the stewardship program in Prince Edward Island after an amendment was made to the regulation in August 2021.
The various legal frameworks and non-uniform administrative rules lead to different compliance actions in each jurisdiction. For example, Ontario requires a separate registration and supply data reporting to its provincial authority organization; Quebec recently expanded the obligated party scope to include online sellers and online marketplaces, etc.
Therefore, what companies need to do to remain compliant varies by province and by each program, and close monitoring of the development of the regulations is required for the frequent provincial changes.
If you would like to keep on top of Canadian EPR Stewardship compliance or to learn how it may affect your business, contact us at Lorax EPI today, and speak with one of our experienced consultants.
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