Location: Ministry Home > News > 2003 News Releases > News Release

News Archive

News Release

For immediate release
March 21, 2003

WASTE DIVERSION ONTARIO DELIVERS BLUE BOX FUNDING PLAN

TORONTO — Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) has delivered a plan on how industry will help fund municipal Blue Box programs, Environment Minister Chris Stockwell announced today.

WDO’s proposed Blue Box Program Plan outlines specifics about diverting Blue Box wastes and includes a funding plan for affected industries to pay for half the net costs of municipal Blue Box programs. It details how funding will be collected from industry and distributed to municipalities, market development, promotion and education.

“I thank WDO for its hard work in delivering the plan, and I invite anyone with an interest to review and comment on the proposal,” Stockwell said

The plan has been posted on the Environmental Registry for a 60-day public comment period. Following a review and analysis of any comments received, the minister will decide to accept or reject the plan.

Included in the registry posting is a draft regulation that will designate Stewardship Ontario as the industry funding organization set up to develop and implement the plan. Stewardship Ontario is made up of industry ‘stewards’ - brand owners or first importers of products that are collected in Blue Box programs.

To obtain a copy of the Blue Box plan, log on to the Ministry of the Environment’s Web site at www.ene.gov.on.ca, click on “EBR”, then “Environmental Registry”, then “Query Notices”, and search for RA03E0011.

A copy of the plan can also be obtained from the ministry’s Public Information Centre at (416) 325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923.

Waste Diversion Ontario, created by the Waste Diversion Act in June 2002, is a permanent, non-Crown corporation made up of industry, municipal and non-government representatives. WDO was set up to help Ontario meet and surpass the province’s 50 per cent waste reduction goal and make Ontario a leader in waste diversion.

– 30 –

Contacts:
John Steele
Communications Branch
(416) 314-6666

Diana Arajs
Minister’s Office
(416) 314-6736