SINGLE-USE PRODUCTS, PACKAGING AND PAPER PRODUCTS

Pre-registration for communities is now open!

Please use your existing ARMA Connect login information to start the process. If you’re not registered in one of our stewardship programs or require assistance, please contact epr@albertarecycling.ca

CLICK HERE TO PRE-REGISTER

PPP OVERVIEW

Each year, Alberta municipalities collect and process 197,600 tonnes of recyclable packaging and paper products from households at a cost of about $107 million, as estimated by a 2019 study.

One of the first systems of the new EPR framework is single-use products, packaging and printed paper products (PPP).

PPP includes the following materials from the residential sector:

  • paper products such as newspapers, packaging, cardboard, printed paper and magazines
  • plastics (both rigid and flexible)
  • metal and glass

Alberta’s EPR framework does not include PPP from the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors. PPP materials regulated under existing regulated stewardship programs (beverage containers, electronics, paint, tires, and used oil materials) are not included in EPR PPP to avoid duplicating requirements.

ARMA, as the oversight body, will be the central information hub for EPR. See below for further information related to PPP:

We understand that EPR implementation will take time, and we are using a phased approach to ensure a smooth transition.

Alberta’s EPR Regulation came into effect on November 30, 2022. The government and ARMA recognize it will take time for producers to develop their EPR systems, including considerations for collection and material management.

Most producers will be required to provide verification of collection and management plans to the ARMA by April 1, 2024. Phase I of the EPR system will be operational by April 1, 2025. Additional key dates in the implementation process can be found here.

The EPR framework is still under development, and ARMA is working with the Government of Alberta and other stakeholders to confirm reporting and scheduling structures.

At this time, most producers will be required to provide verification of collection and management plans to the ARMA by April 1, 2024. Phase I of the EPR system will be operational by April 1, 2025. Additional key dates in the implementation process can be found here.

As we progress through the EPR framework process, more information will be available and shared with producers.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click on the icons below to go to see FAQs related to the corresponding categories.

COMMUNITY

PRODUCER

PRO

PROCESSING FACILITY

FAQ: Community

What is a community?

A community is a corporation controlled by a municipality or a regional services commission.

A community would fall under one of these provincial acts:

  • Municipal Government Act, such as city, town, village, summer village, municipal district or improvement district is a community.
  • A special area that falls under the Special Areas Act
  • A settlement that falls under the Metis Settlement Act
  • And a reserve that falls under the Municipal Government act

What is a Community?

How will EPR work for communities that already have waste and recycling programs?

For communities that already have waste and recycling programs, producers will become responsible for the collection system of designated materials. This responsibility will be transferred to producers/PROs through a negotiation process that is facilitated with support from ARMA.

For those that register for EPR by December 31, 2023, they can expect producers/PROs to assume responsibility for these services starting in April 2025.

My community is not sure whether it wants to participate in the EPR program. Are we required to participate?

No, a community is not required to participate in the EPR program. Likewise, should your community register to engage in service contract negotiations and change your decision, you are able to deregister from the process.

ARMA is committed to ensuring that every municipality feels confident in its decision to register and activate the EPR system in their community. As such, part of ARMA’s role as the oversight body for EPR is to provide accessible and comprehensive information to support your decision. Please email our support team at epr@albertarecycling.ca if you have questions about EPR, or would like more information about registering.

The regulation indicates that single-family dwelling collection is every two weeks. What if a community currently has weekly service and would like to maintain that frequency?

Single-family dwelling collection every two (2) weeks is the minimum level of service set in the regulation. A municipality would negotiate their contract with the PRO for the service level that they require. 

What is a PRO?

A producer responsibility organization (PRO) is a business established to contract with producers to provide collection management and administrative services to help producers meet their regulatory obligations under the Regulation.

What does the registration process look like?

The registration process for a community will look like this:

  1. Pre-Register: Starting October 2, communities can sign up on ARMA Connect to show interest in participating in the EPR program.
  2. Information Gathering: The community will collect the information needed to complete the registration.
  3. Discussion: Concurrently with the previous step, communities can work with PROs to determine a mutually beneficial common collection.
  4. Registration: If you were to participate in Phase I, submit the required registration information as a community participating in EPR by December 31, 2023. 
  5. Transition: Communities will work with the registered PROs to establish a contract and determine a transition plan for collection services.
  6. Operational: Phase I of the EPR system will be operational starting April 2025.

Communities can opt out at any time during the process.

For communities that do not have curbside collection services and need to drop off their products at a depot, as the need for additional depots grows, will more depots have to be built to fit this need and who will be responsible for building these depots?

As a need for additional depots become necessary, producers and PROs would be responsible for the cost of building and developing new service depots to meet the needs of communities and producers.

For communities that do not have curbside collection services and need to drop off their products at a depot, will there be staff at these depots and if so, who would be employing them?

Where depots are used to fulfill EPR requirements, producers are responsible for employing any staff that are needed to operate these facilities.

Can a community deregister from EPR Program?

Yes, once a municipality registers for EPR, they are able to deregister if they choose to no longer proceed with the registration process. A community may deregister from EPR as long as they have not executed a contract with a PRO.

My community currently handles collection complaints (such as missed pick-up, etc.) through our 311 service. What is the process for handling complaints once EPR is in place?

PROs and/or Producers will provide a telephone number and an email address where a person may submit requests for new collection containers or concerns relating to product collection.

Are there costs associated with PROs?

Yes, PROs are non-profit organizations and charge for their services to producers. Each commercial contract a producer enters with a PRO will have its own set of terms and conditions. It is up to the PRO and producer to determine the terms of their contractual agreement, including fees and payment schedule. ARMA does not set the terms of the contractual arrangements between PROs and producers.

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FAQ: Producer

What is a producer?

A producer supplies material (packaging, paper producers or packaging-like products) comprised of paper, glass, metal or plastic, or a combination of these materials to consumers.

Where a producer is exempt, do the obligations for the materials for which they are the producer become the responsibility of the organization that is next in line in the producer hierarchy?

No, where a producer is exempt, the regulatory obligations do not become the responsibility of the organization that is next in the producer hierarchy. While the exempt producer remains the “producer” for those materials, they are simply exempt from certain requirements under the regulation as set out in the relevant provisions providing for the exemption.

Who is a brand holder?

A brand holder is a person (organization) who owns or licenses a brand or otherwise has rights to market a product under the brand.

What is an aerosol container?

ARMA considers an aerosol container (associated with EPR) to be a non-refillable receptacle that contains a product and a propellant under pressure, and that is filled with a release device allowing the contents to be ejected as solid or liquid particles in suspension in a gas, or as a foam, paste, powder, liquid, or gas.

As a producer, do I need a PRO to meet my collection and management requirements?

No, producers are not required to sign up with a PRO to meet their regulatory requirements. It is a business decision if a producer chooses to work with a PRO, and a producer can choose to meet their obligations without a PRO.

What is a PRO?

A producer responsibility organization (PRO) is a business established to contract with producers to provide collection management and administrative services to help producers meet their regulatory obligations under the Regulation.

Are there costs associated with PROs?

Yes, PROs are non-profit organizations and charge for their services to producers. Each commercial contract a producer enters with a PRO will have its own set of terms and conditions. It is up to the PRO and producer to determine the terms of their contractual agreement, including fees and payment schedule. ARMA does not set the terms of the contractual arrangements between PROs and producers.

If we use a delivery company to mail our products or correspondence, who is required to report on the shipping packaging supplied to the consumer?

Each producer of Single-Use Products, Packaging and Paper Products (PPP) is required to report the PPP packaging they add to a product.
 
For example: a college or university bookstore plans to ship a book to a consumer in Alberta. The bookstore staff packages the book in a small box with the packing slip and inserts the box into a plastic mailer supplied by the delivery service with the required label affixed. In this scenario, the college or university is the obligated producer of the small box and packing slip and must report these materials in their supply report, whereas the delivery company is the obligated producer of the plastic mailer and label and must report these materials in their supply report.

We are a public sector institution and understand that we are a PPP producer. What information do we need to include in our supply report?

Public sector institutions, such as colleges and universities, are suppliers of Single-Use Products, Packaging and Paper Products (PPP) to consumers. They supply the designated materials to consumers on-site (e.g., food service packaging, unprinted paper in photocopiers, etc.) and off-site (e.g., mailings).
 
For the purposes of supply reporting, colleges, universities, and other public sector institutions must determine the total amount of designated material they supply to consumers in Alberta. One way to gather this data is by canvassing internal departments to obtain annual weights of designated materials supplied to consumers on-site and off-site.

How do newspaper producers report their supply of newspapers?

For the purpose of reporting supply data under the EPR Regulation, the weight of the newspaper, including any protective wrapping and supplemental advertisements and inserts, must be reported in the appropriate material categories.
 
This means that newspapers must be reported in the “paper” category, while any protective plastic wrapping must be reported as “flexible plastic.” When reporting either their total supply or the percentage of their total supply that is newspaper, a producer should only include the weight of Single-Use Products, Packaging and Paper Products (PPP) materials for which they are the producer.
 
For example: if flyers have a different brand holder resident in Canada than the newspaper they are supplied with, the flyer insert weight should not be reported by the newspaper producer. Instead, it is the brand holder of those flyers who is required to include the weight of those flyers in their own report.

How can I ensure that my products or packaging are collected and sent for management when I don't know where they end up once a consumer discards them?

Producers are not required to collect and manage their own branded products and materials. Instead, a producer is expected to collect and manage a portion of similar materials in Alberta. The portion of material that a producer collects and manages is known as their minimum management requirement, a total based on calculations outlined in the applicable Regulation. The calculated amount is proportionate to the weight of materials that the producer supplied into the province.
 
For example, a producer who supplied cardboard boxes to Alberta does not need to collect and manage those exact cardboard boxes. Rather, they need to ensure that an equivalent weight of paper to what they supplied the province is collected and managed. Almost all producers will work with producer responsibility organizations (PROs) for the purposes of meeting their obligations to collect and manage materials. PROs establish collection and management systems across Alberta for different material types. A producer can meet their obligations to collect and manage materials by entering into a contract with a PRO to provide these services on their behalf.

Can a PRO report on behalf of service providers?

No, a PRO cannot report on behalf of service providers (processing facilities).

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FAQ: Pro

What is a PRO (producer responsibility organization)?

A producer responsibility organization (PRO) is a business established to contract with producers to provide collection management and administrative services to help producers meet their regulatory obligations under the Regulation.

Who is a brand holder?

A brand holder is a person (organization) who owns or licenses a brand or otherwise has rights to market a product under the brand.

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FAQ: ProCESSING FACILITY

What is a processing facilty?

A processing facility processes material that was supplied to a consumer and collected by PRO.

What is a PRO?

A producer responsibility organization (PRO) is a business established to contract with producers to provide collection management and administrative services to help producers meet their regulatory obligations under the Regulation.

What is required for PPP processing facilities to register with ARMA?

Processing facilities need to provide the following information when registering with ARMA:
1) Business information (e.g.: business name, contact information, etc.)
2) Processing site location(s) and contact information
3) PPP materials accepted for processing at each location
4) Types of processing
5) Any producers or PROs the processor has contracted with

Are there costs associated with PROs?

Yes, PROs are non-profit organizations and charge for their services to producers. Each commercial contract a producer enters with a PRO will have its own set of terms and conditions. It is up to the PRO and producer to determine the terms of their contractual agreement, including fees and payment schedule. ARMA does not set the terms of the contractual arrangements between PROs and producers.

Can a PRO report on behalf of service providers?

No, a PRO cannot report on behalf of service providers (processing facilities).

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Additional RESOURCES:

EPR: Single‑use Products, Packaging and Paper Products Bylaws

EPR: Hazardous and Special Products Bylaws

EPR Update: Alberta Municipalities Conference Presentation

Extended Producer Responsibility Agreement on Administration and Oversight with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (PDF)

Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation

Government of Alberta - EPR