Waste Diversion Law Reminder

The new Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) program comes into effect in Ontario on July 1, 2008.
The program requires companies that manufacture and market materials certain materials to pay a fee to Stewardship Ontario based on the amount and type of material they introduce into the Ontario market.
Designated under this program are used oil filters, used oil containers, used antifreeze and used antifreeze containers.
For the automotive industry, it is the brand owners or first importers who sell through automotive service providers to customers such as fleet owners/managers, garages that service vehicles, farmers and other assorted “walk-in” customers that are obligated under the program.
It is also the retail outlets that have interface with the broader cross-section of consumers, and those that sell the designated products under their own brand or as first importer of other brand names that are obligated.
The Ontario Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) Program is a waste diversion plan to keep household and small business hazardous waste out of landfills, incinerators and our waterways. The industry fees remitted to Stewardship Ontario will be used to fund incentives for collection and diversion of the waste products and packaging, to fund promotion and education activities directed at consumers, to help support better recycling technologies, and to manage the waste materials collected in an environmentally responsible manner.
The first steward’s report and fees will be due by October 31, 2008 on the first quarter sales of MHSM product, July 1 to September 30, 2008.
The plan was developed by Stewardship Ontario in conjunction with affected industry stewards, on behalf of Waste Diversion Ontario, at the request of the Ontario Minister of the Environment.
It received the Minister’s approval in February 2008.