The BC Ministry of Environment (MOE) Recycling Regulation exempts some categories of businesses from the obligation to assume responsibility for the reporting and paying for the Packaging and Paper Product (PPP) supplied to BC residents.
The steps below determine if your business is obligated under Schedule 5 of the Recycling Regulation. If you answer NO to any of the questions below you are not a steward and do not need to take any further action.
Does your organization or company have residency in BC?
Does your organization or company supply any packaging and/or printed paper into the BC residential market?
Is your organization or company a brand owner, first importer or franchisor of packaging and/or printed paper?
If you answered NO to any of the three questions above, then your company is NOT a steward.
Small Business Exemptions
Exemptions extend to BC businesses in any of the four categories listed below, removing the need to file a program plan of their own or join Recycle BC’s program:
- Businesses that have less than $1 million in annual revenues in BC;
- Businesses that supply less than 1,000 kg (one tonne) of packaging and paper product to BC residents; or
- Businesses that operate as a single point of retail sale and are not supplied or operated as part of a franchise, a chain or under a banner; or
- Are a registered charity.
Low-Volume and Flat-Fee Stewards
Eligible stewards supplying 1,000 to 15,000 kg of PPP annually have the option to file simplified report and pay a set fee, or they can provide a detailed report of the amount of PPP supplied and pay stewardship fees in accordance with Recycle BC’s fee schedule (fee rates for the following year are set each October). Businesses that supply more than 15,000 kg of PPP are required to submit detailed annual reports.
Low-volume stewards have two flat-fee categories: 1,000 to 2,499 kg and 2,500 to 4,999 kg.
There are also flat-fee categories for: 5,000 to 9,999 kg and 10,000 to 15,000 kg.
Current and past fee rates for low-volume and flat fees are available on the fee schedule page.
Stewards who qualify for the low-volume categories (between 1,000 and 4,999 kg) are required to review and confirm agreement with the program’s Terms and Conditions on the WeRecycle Portal before submitting data.
Stewards who qualify for the flat-fee categories (between 5,000 and 15,000 kg can proceed to the WeRecycle Portal and register, complete a Membership Agreement and then follow the steps for a simplified report.
New stewards who believe they qualify for a tonnage exemption or one of the four categories eligible for a simplified report should contact National Steward Services at 1-888-980-9549 or info@circularmaterials.ca before registering or reporting on the WeRecycle Portal.
The Online Assessment Tool can help determine reporting eligibility by answering a few questions — please note the assessment tool is intended to provide general guidance only.
