New regulations are being introduced across Ontario which shifts the responsibility of residential recycling collection and processing away from Municipalities to producers of packaging and paper products.

Producer Responsibility

A producer is a company that designs, creates and markets products and packaging.  Producer Responsibility means that companies are fully responsible for managing and paying for the life cycle of their products and packaging.

Producer Responsibility programs already exist in Ontario for materials such as tires, electronic waste and some household hazardous waste products (i.e. antifreeze, oil filters, etc).

In Ontario, Circular Materials is the producer responsibility organization (PRO) and is also the administrator of the common collection system on behalf of all PROs operating in Ontario.

For more information on producer responsibility visit Circular Materials website at https://www.circularmaterials.ca/what-is-epr/

Timeline

In August 2019, the Government of Ontario announced plans to transition responsibility for the provincial recycling system from municipalities to producers.  The transition to Producer Responsibility in Ontario began in 2023, with producers becoming fully responsible for providing recycling services province wide by the end of 2025.

The Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre’s partner Municipalities (Town of Petawawa, City of Pembroke, Township of Laurentian Valley and Township of North Algona Wilberforce) transition on March 28, 2025.

In alignment with the new regulations, the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre’s Material Recovery Facility (MRF) will be leased to Emterra Environmental beginning December 1, 2024.  This was done through a competitive bid process undertaken by Circular Materials.

What This Means for Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre

Effective December 1, 2024 the Centre’s MRF will be operated by Emterra Environmental.  Sorting of recycling will no longer take place at the Centre; material will be received and shipped to a larger, centralized MRF with more sorting technology.

Emterra Environmental has also purchased OVWRC’s recycling processing equipment, both stationery and mobile.  The lease is for 7 years with an opportunity to extend for one 3 year term.

Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre customers dropping off recycling will continue to enter through gate 1.

All residential recycling will be sent to the public drop-off bins (adjacent to the scale house).  Applicable tipping fees apply until March 28, 2025.  After the transition date, residential recycling will be free of charge to drop-off.

Commercial recycling will continue to be accepted by Emterra. All loads of commercial recycling, no matter the size of the load, will be directed to the Recycling Facility.  Drivers will be required to sign all recycling weigh scale tickets.  All loads which contain different material types (i.e. recycling and garbage) must be weighed and processed separately.  Designated loads of corrugated cardboard will be accepted at no charge and loads of recycling will be charged at the current 2024 tipping fee rate until March 28, 2025.  After that date, the recycling tipping fee rates will be determined by Emterra.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did this result in job losses?

Unfortunately, this did result in job losses for OVWRC staff. OVWRC hand sorted recycling and the manual sorting of recyclables is not a viable solution to the long-term growth and expansion of recycling programs in Ontario. Material Recovery Facilities now use technology such as optical sorters, to separate recycling into different material streams.  It has been difficult to see this part of the operation change but we understand it’s part of a broader strategy to ensure recycling services continue to be available to communities across Ontario.

Does this change what I can recycle?

At this time, there are no changes to what you can recycle.  Residential curbside recycling collection in Petawawa, Pembroke and Laurentian Valley will not change at this time nor will Depot operation in North Algona Wilberforce.

Changes may occur in January 2026 when transition is complete and Ontario moves to a common collection system.

How does this change recycling for my business?

This transition applies to residential recycling.  If your business was part of the regular residential curbside collection, please contact your local Municipality to confirm options.

Does this mean OVWRC is closing?

This change only applies to recycling operations.  The Centre will continue to operate the composting facility, landfill site, construction and demolition area, and hazardous and electronic waste depot.

Resources

Circular Materials: https://www.circularmaterials.ca/

Resource Productivity & Recovery Authority: https://rpra.ca/programs/blue-box/

Province of Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/waste-management