New Funding Program Launched to Reinvigorate Carton Recycling in Ontario — Blue Box Reform Presents Opportunity

A worrisome downturn in the reported recovery rate for food and beverage cartons in Ontario has surfaced in the last few years. The rate determined by Stewardship Ontario which was 52.7% in 2019, now sits at just 40.3%. As Canada’s most populous province and biggest carton consumer, the situation in Ontario is a particular cause for concern. Notably, no similar regression has been reported anywhere else in the country.

The carton recovery rate in Ontario is calculated by dividing the estimated quantity of post-consumer cartons sold to end markets by material recovery facilities (MRFs) in a given year by the quantity of new cartons thought to have been put on the market in the province by producers that same year. While the precise reasons for the drop are unclear, known challenges experienced by some Ontario residential recycling programs in recent times, including COVID, labour shortages, access to technology and market conditions, are likely contributing factors.

As part of efforts to address the situation, Carton Council of Canada announced a new funding program this past May. Up to $70,000 have been made available to all municipalities and waste management companies that operate a MRF in Ontario and to the service boards, solid waste authorities, not-for-profit organizations and other entities involved in residential recycling.

Any project from the above organizations that aims to increase carton recovery in the province is eligible to receive a portion of the funds. The funds can be applied to any relevant initiative including consulting services, audits, pilot projects, new equipment, MRF refurbishments and awareness campaigns. Cartons need not even be the sole focus; they can be part of a broader program.

The massive preparations underway in the province to transition to a fully producer-led Blue Box program are naturally capturing much of the attention and energy of the sector’s actors these days. Carton Council of Canada believes this period nonetheless presents an important opportunity for service providers—both public and private—to make improvements in order to get ready for the new system and position themselves as strategic long-term partners to Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs). Applying for a portion of the available funds may help this process.

Learn more about this program and how to apply for funding. The deadline for submission is July 4, 2022.