Blue and red box recycling services in Windsor-Essex to change this summer

In June 2021, the Province of Ontario released the Blue Box Regulation to shift the financial and operational responsibility of recycling from municipalities to the organizations that produce packaging and paper products.

Circular Materials will now be responsible for collection locally, however they are not obligated to collect from "Non-Eligible Sources" that currently receive collection from the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority.

These Non-Eligible Sources include municipal buildings or facilities, post-secondary institutions, daycares, community centres, places of worship, campgrounds or trailer parks, and mixed-use properties.

These organizations will need to register with EWSWA by May 24, 2024, to be included in the recycling collection.

Cat Griffin, Communications Coordinator with Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority, says these Non-Eligible Sources need to register within the next few weeks.

"Currently the Solid Waste Authority is picking up a lot of those places and providing recycling services, but going forward if those businesses and non-profit organizations want continued recycling service after August 27th when the transition takes place, they have to register with us before May 24th."

She says the province left it up to the municipalities to join the new Blue Box Regulation.

"They could opt in or opt out. So they do want to hand their recycling program over to Circular Materials, and Circular Materials will administer that, or are they going to keep their own recycling program? Most municipalities across Ontario have opted to hand their recycling programs back to the producers."

Griffin says they need to know how many businesses want to take part. 

"We need time to basically get these businesses and non-profits registered so we can collect all of their information and start sending them information. There might be a change in day, or there might be a change in schedule or something, we don't know yet. We need to find out how many of them are out there first of all."

She adds that there will be no fee to businesses and non-profits for registering, it is strictly to see the numbers of those who need collection services. 

Circular Materials will begin collection starting on August 28, 2024. 

The pick up for the residential recycling program will be funded by the companies that are generating packaging that requires recycling. 

Meanwhile, EWSWA will cover the cost of continued recycling collection for businesses and non-profits.