County joins municipalities seeking changes to coming ‘ineligible’ Blue Box pickups – including business

Prince Edward County is supporting several municipalities asking the province to amend coming changes to Blue Box pickups for “ineligible” sources including small business, commercial, industrial and institution properties.

Councillor Corey Engelsdorfer suspects the exclusions are “a mistake” and sought support for a motion by the municipality of Chatham Kent at Tuesday’s council meeting calling on the province to amend the regulation before it is to roll out here in 2025.

Councillor Janice Maynard agreed, noting there would be much confusion for Blue Box pick up in downtown areas where there are people living above businesses.

The “ineligible” sources also include municipal buildings, daycares, places of worship, campgrounds and not-for-profit organizations which would then have to arrange for private recycling collection.

Engelsdorfer added the County has more than 600 ineligible sources that wouldn’t be picked up after the transition begins.

The province is in transition to make producers cover 100 per cent of the cost of blue box collection – a change from municipalities splitting the cost 50-50 with industry.

Some other municipalities already working under the transition changes have reported several of the ‘ineligible’ business owners in their downtowns are taking recycling home to add to their household collection, or choosing to stop recycling altogether. Municipalities are also reporting concern for more recycling in landfill and more litter.

Currently, the new regulation is designed to see Blue Box producers fully accountable and financially responsible for products and packaging. Should a municipality continue to provide service to “ineligible” sources, it would be required to oversee the collection, transportation, processing and assume 100 per cent of the cost.

The system is designed to see companies pay fees based on the amount of waste material they create, to businesses that manage recycling programs.

The province reports the economics of the Blue Box have become challenging and recycling rates have been stalled for 15 years and now, up to 30 per cent of what is put in the Blue Box is being sent to landfill.

The intent was companies would be encouraged to reduce packaging and waste, but concern remains they will simply pass along the costs to consumers.

The Blue Box transition to industry paying full cost began last year and is to be complete by the end of 2025.

The County’s support for the resolution is to be forwarded to Premier Doug Ford, Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks, Todd Smith, Bay of Quinte MPP, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus, Quinte Waste Solutions, and all Ontario municipalities.