{"id":18336,"date":"2021-08-04T13:28:50","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T17:28:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quantumlifecycle.com\/staging\/ontarios-environmental-handling-fees-what-you-need-to-know\/"},"modified":"2023-12-27T10:17:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T15:17:09","slug":"ontarios-environmental-handling-fees-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quantumlifecycle.com\/en_CA\/blog\/ontarios-environmental-handling-fees-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario\u2019s Environmental Handling Fees: What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated: November 1, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n

Under the Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) Regulation<\/a>, businesses located in Ontario can add environmental handling fees (EHF) to certain electronic products. The EEE Regulation was established to promote the collection, reuse<\/a>, refurbishment, or recycling<\/a> of electronics and reduce<\/a> their environmental impact<\/a>. Yet, while EHF fees are meant to help offset the costs of recycling<\/a> products for businesses, consumers are often confused by the added costs. Here\u2019s what you should know about the current regulation and applicable fees.<\/p>\n

How the EEE Regulation Works<\/h2>\n

As of January 1, 2021<\/a>, producers of information technology, telecommunications, and audio-visual equipment (ITT\/AV) have become individually accountable and financially responsible for the collection, refurbishment, or recycling of their products upon the end of consumers\u2019 use. This also pertains to batteries supplied within the equipment.<\/p>\n

Any party is considered a producer under the EEE regulation if they supply ITT\/AV equipment in Ontario. The regulation requires them to have a collection site where consumers can drop off equipment free of charge and make efforts to reuse<\/a>, recycle<\/a>, or refurbish<\/a> at least 55% of ITT\/AV supplied in Ontario. Producers can either establish their own recycling programs<\/a> in-house, or partner with an electronics recycling<\/a> company to help them meet regulatory obligations on their behalf (known as a producer responsibility<\/a> organization, or PRO). The regulation also allows businesses to pass recycling costs onto their customers, either by incorporating them into the price of their products or as an additional fee.<\/p>\n

Which Electronics Are Included?<\/h2>\n

Individual producer responsibility in Ontario applies to the following equipment<\/a>:<\/p>\n