New federal recommendations on Ontario’s recycling system have received support from the province’s tire sector as scrap tires continue to accumulate at legitimate collection sites.
In a July 7 submission, Associate Deputy Commissioner of Competition Brad Callaghan wrote that many participants reported that “effective competition has not yet emerged” under Ontario’s extended producer responsibility system.
Extended producer responsibility makes manufacturers and importers responsible for collecting and recycling products after consumers discard them. Companies often meet those obligations through producer responsibility organizations, or PROs, which arrange collection and processing on their behalf.
Callaghan cited reports of PROs directing haulers past nearby Ontario processors to more distant facilities, including some outside Canada. Ontario service providers have also reported reduced operations and unused processing capacity.
“Much of this aligns with the concerns being raised across Ontario’s tire recycling sectors,” said Adam Moffatt of the Ontario Tire Dealers Association and Tire Dealers Association of Canada.
Moffatt highlighted several recommendations to make it easier for new PROs and recycling companies to enter the market, strengthen oversight of work shared between PROs and make greater use of Ontario processing facilities.
"Barriers to new PROs and service providers should be reduced. Shared PRO activities require stronger oversight. Ontario should better utilize in-province recycling capacity."
Callaghan also supported proposed rules requiring PROs to collect tires from any registered site that requests service after accumulating at least 50 tires. The tires would have to be processed within three months.
