Ontario Regulation 556/24, made under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, introduces amendments to Ontario Regulation 30/20 concerning the management of batteries. These updates aim to improve resource recovery and align with broader environmental goals. The term “performance period” is replaced with “calendar year” throughout, emphasizing annual reporting and compliance cycles. New definitions, such as “average weight of supply,” “council of the band,” and “local municipality,” provide clarity, while the definitions of “performance period” and “recycling efficiency rate” are removed. The regulation establishes methods for calculating a producer’s average weight of supply, incorporating a rolling average formula based on historical data. Producers must use reported data for accurate calculations.

Exemptions are revised to apply only to producers supplying less than 5.0 tonnes of primary batteries or 2.5 tonnes of rechargeable batteries annually. Requirements for establishing battery collection sites are now stratified by producer size and location. Large producers, defined as those supplying at least 160 tonnes of primary batteries or 80 tonnes of rechargeable batteries annually, must establish a network of collection sites proportional to municipal populations. For smaller producers, collection obligations are tied to the presence of retail locations or minimum municipal population thresholds. Adjacent municipalities may share collection responsibilities under specific conditions, ensuring accessibility while balancing logistical efficiencies.

The regulation mandates that collection sites must be accessible to the public, operate during normal business hours, and avoid reliance on promotional collection events by municipalities or local service boards. Producers are permitted to reduce required sites by demonstrating alternative collection methods, such as mail-back programs or direct consumer collection services. However, reductions must not eliminate coverage in municipalities or districts with populations exceeding 1,000 if batteries were previously supplied there.

Producers are further obligated to collect batteries from entities like councils of the band or municipalities upon notification of substantial accumulations, ensuring timely recovery in both urban and remote areas. Management requirements stipulate that producers must process a percentage of their supplied battery weights annually, starting at 45% for 2025 and increasing to 50% in 2026. Verified data is crucial for calculating these metrics, emphasizing accountability and transparency.

Additional changes address reporting and verification standards. Producers must ensure accuracy and compliance with the newly introduced Verification and Audit Procedure for all submitted data. Sections concerning reporting requirements and associated exemptions are refined to eliminate redundancy and strengthen oversight. Requirements for recovered materials and post-consumer recycled content are similarly updated, ensuring alignment with sustainability objectives.

Ontario (556/24) January 4, 2025