The Blue Box Program will continue in Espanola for residents but for businesses, institutions and industry, there are some changes in the works.
Espanola council reviewed a report from Manager of Environmental Services and Special Projects Joel Yusko not to extend the service to non-eligible businesses beyond April 1st of this year.
He explained that businesses were never part of the program introduced in the 1990s and do not qualify for grant funding, but some municipalities offered the service.
He said the province has introduced a regulation to standardize acceptable Blue Box Material across Ontario and is shifting the responsibility for collection of non-eligible sources of waste from the municipality to the producers of this type of waste by April 1st, 2026.
Yusko says the non-eligible services include industrial or commercial properties, not-for-profit organizations, municipal buildings or facilities, daycares or places of worship.
He says given that the collection from non-eligible sources can be quite expensive and with the existing financial pressure of the 2025 municipal budget, staff is not recommending extending the service past April 1st of this year.
Yusko adds if the council agrees with the regulation, the town will work with non-eligible services to find a contractor for the required service.
The council will review the recommendation and make a decision at its next regular meeting.
Yusko adds staff will continue to advocate to the Province for the need for this service and locations for non-eligible sources to bring their recyclables given that the move may result in an influx in recyclables making their way to landfills even though recyclable materials are not supposed to be placed in waste bags.
According to a release from the Ontario government, recently, the Blue Box Regulation has shifted the responsibility of recycling from municipalities to the organizations that produce packaging and paper products.
The program aims to make producers 100% physically and financially responsible for recycling materials like paper, glass, cardboard, and plastics.
The transition to full producer responsibility is expected to be completed by December 31st, 2025.
