Waste-Free Ontario Act in Full Effect

On Wednesday, Nov. 30, the majority of the Waste-Free Ontario Act (Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act and Waste Diversion Transition Act) officially came into force via proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario:

• Schedule 1: Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act:   Sections 1 – 32, 34 – 108
• Schedule 2: Waste Diversion Transition Act: Sections 1 – 55, 65 – 73, Section 75 (Waste Diversion Act)

Items of note now underway:

• Repeal the Waste Diversion Act
• Establish the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority with five Minister-appointees to the board of directors (PDF)
• Begin process of overhauling Waste Diversion Ontario into the newly established Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority
• Allow for opportunities for the Minister to provide direction that initiates the winding down of the existing Industry Funding Organizations and their respective programs
• New regulations for existing diversion programs under the Waste Diversion Transition Act

Additionally, within 90 days:

• Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) is required to publish Waste-Free Ontario: Building a Circular Economy for further consultation prior to finalizing it. The proposed strategy will address comments received on the draft version posted November 2015. The strategy, once finalized, will serve as a roadmap to shift Ontario toward a circular economy.
• The MOECC will post to the Environmental Registry a draft Transitional Operating Agreement between the Minister and the Authority, and invite comments from stakeholders.

Recycling Council of Ontario supports the Waste-Free Ontario Act and is pleased to see it in effect. It addresses provisions that will improve producers’ responsibility, and offers a framework that can transition Ontario into a circular economy that leverages resource efficiency to eliminate waste.

Source: Recycling Council of Ontario

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