Public consultation on industry funding blue box programs coming to Kingston, Toronto, London and Sudbury

by Donald Wiedman for Waste Diversion Ontario & Stewardship Ontario

ONTARIO, February 12, 2004 – Diversion Ontario and Stewardship Ontario, in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, are pleased to announce the hosting of a series of public consultation workshops on industry funding of Ontario’s municipal Blue Box recycling programs.

Workshops are planned for Kingston, Toronto, London and Sudbury during the week of March 8, with the workshop in London to be webcast and archived on the Stewardship Ontario website for those unable to attend a workshop. Discussion papers will also be posted on the website for discussion at the workshops and written comment following.

New provincial regulations require printed paper and packaging stewards to fund a 50% share of the net cost of operating residential recycling programs. The objective of the workshops is to present and discuss with the general public, environmental and consumer non-government organizations, municipal officials and affected stakeholders, a recent request from the Ontario Minister of the Environment for new measures and enhancements to the newly approved Blue Box Program Plan.

Discussion papers on key issues to be presented at the workshops will be available for review on March 1 at Waste Diversion Ontario and Stewardship Ontario websites – key issues include:
• Cost containment principles, policies and practices, and policies and practices to encourage
• Impacts of the Blue Box Program Plan on small business and incentives for this sector to Workshops will provide opportunities for questions, comments and discussions. Interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend the workshops to comment in person, and/or listen to the archived webcast and comment in writing. A summary of input received will be presented to the Board of Directors of Waste

For more information, please visit www.wdo.ca or www.stewardshipontario.ca