Prince Edward County Council is opposing upcoming changes to how the province regulates recycling.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, council decided to join calls to amend Ontario Regulation 391/21, with a letter to be sent to Premier Doug Ford, Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith, and Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Andrea Khanjin.
Ontario Regulation 391/21 makes the companies that produce recyclable products responsible for the costs of collecting and recycling the waste generated. However, the regulation only covers waste from certain sources. Businesses, municipal buildings, and non-profits such as food banks, are among sources of recyclable waste that are exempt.
This puts the responsibility and cost of recycling waste from these sources on the shoulders of the municipality.
Prince Edward County is joining calls by the Municipality of Chatham Kent to remove the exemptions, and make the producers of the products responsible for all the costs, regardless of where the waste comes from.
The new is regulation set to take effect in Prince Edward County in 2025.
The motion was passed after a brief debate.
