New Legislation starting July 1st - Paint Recycling in Ontario

ONTARIO APPROVES NEW DIVERSION PLAN FOR MUNICIPAL HAZARDOUS OR SPECIAL WASTE More Recycling Options For Ontarians, A Cleaner Environment

TORONTO –Environment Minister John Gerretsen has approved a new program thataims to double the amount of household hazardous or special waste thatOntario diverts from landfills and the environment over the next fiveyears. The program, developed by Waste Diversion Ontario, will help Ontarians reduce, reuse, recycle andresponsibly dispose of common household products such as paints,solvents, batteries and oil filters that can often end up being poureddown the drain or thrown out with regular garbage.“We’re moving aggressively to step up diversion efforts in Ontario over thenext couple of years,” said Gerretsen. “This new program ensures we caneach do the right thing for the environment when it comes to dealingwith these wastes.” Phase One of the program will begin on July 1, and includes paints and stains, paint thinners,strippers and other solvents, oil filters, lubricating oil containers,non-rechargeable batteries, engine coolant, pressurized containers suchas propane tanks, fertilizers and pesticides. The program will make it easier and more convenient for consumers to returnthese wastes for proper management. For rural and northern Ontarianswhere service often does not currently exist, this will mean theintroduction of new collection events. For urban Ontarians with somelevel of existing service, this will mean extending depot hours andincreasing the number of collection events. Gemma Zecchini, chair of Waste Diversion Ontario’s board of directors,congratulated the government for approving the program. “Now that theprogram has been approved, we can set the wheels in motion to expandthe opportunities for Ontarians to recycle and dispose of theseproducts and their containers responsibly.”Jim Quick, president of the Canadian Paint & Coatings Association, andchair of the Stewardship Ontario committee that developed the programfor Waste Diversion Ontario commented that “this new program means moreopportunities to divert many of the products we’ve had around ourhouses and used for years that shouldn’t go into the garbage. “Lots of products like unused paint can be recycled,” said Quick. “Otherproducts, like pesticides, which can’t be recycled, will be disposed ofresponsibly. This is a great opportunity for Ontarians to build on thesuccess of the Blue Box program to divert more waste from landfill.” Doug Reycraft, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontarioalso praised the program. “Improved diversion methods and addedopportunities for collection means landfill sites will be spared moretonnes of waste. We applaud industry in taking on a greater stewardshipresponsibility that will help communities in their pursuit of a cleanerenvironment and sustainability.”Phase Two of the plan will soon be under development, and will include portable fireextinguishers, fluorescent lights, rechargeable batteries,pharmaceuticals, syringes and thermostats and other measuring devicescontaining mercury.To view Phase One of the plan, go to www.stewardshipontario.ca and click on the icon for MHSW. -30- Contacts:         Contact information for the general public: 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ontario.ca/environment