Blue Box

The first Blue Box Program Plan was approved December 22, 2003 and has been in effect since February 1, 2004.

 

The purpose of the original Plan was to achieve the following objectives:

  • Diverting 50% of Printed Paper and Packaging by 2006 a target that later Increased to 60% by 2008
  • Raising industry contributions to contribute 50% of the funds for municipal recycling by levying companies who put printed paper and packaging into the Ontario marketplace
  • Ensuring consumers adopt appropriate recycling behaviours consistent with their expectations for convenience and evolving perceptions of environmental stewardship and responsibility

 
Since 2003, 5.3 million tonnes of printed paper and packaging have been diverted from Ontario’s landfills. Today the recycling rate stands at 65.9%. In August of 2009, the Minister of the Environment issued a request to amend the BBPP to achieve a recycling rate of 70% by the end of 2011. Specifically, the Minister’s Program Request Letter asked that Stewardship Ontario undertake the following:
 

  • Establish a diversion target of 70% to be achieved by December 31, 2011.
  • Improve the methodology for calculating diversion by including additional avenues where residential Blue Box materials are collected.

  • Include packaging-like materials, sold as products, that are compatible with current collection and management systems.