Canada-Wide Action Plan for Extended Producer ... - CCME

performance of their products and have an interest in operating programs efficiently and
effectively while at the same time meeting the performance measurement targets which
are set by government. Producers need to operate in a fair and transparent manner with
due regard to other regulatory requirements and policies.
• Consumers have a responsibility to participate in EPR programs provided that access to
the program is convenient. Consumers also have responsibilities to make environmentally
responsible choices in the market place when provided with appropriate life cycle
information on products.
Programs and policies are designed and implemented in a way that environmental benefits are
maximized while economic dislocations are minimized.
• A communication strategy is devised to inform participants in the product chain,
including consumers, about the program and to enlist their support and cooperation.
• EPR programs undergo periodic evaluations to ensure they are functioning appropriately,
are subject to performance measurement and include accessible and transparent reporting.
• Costs of program management are not borne by general taxpayers.
• Consumers have reasonable access to collection systems without charge to maximize
recovery opportunities.
4. OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, PERFORMANCE MEASURES
AND TARGETS
Objectives
• To encourage producers to adopt full life-cycle cost accounting for their products and, in
particular, to ensure the costs of the end-of-life management of products are treated
similarly to other factors of production (such as manufacturing, distribution, marketing
and sales) and are incorporated into wholesale and retail product prices.
• To shift the expenses associated with product end-of-life management from taxpayers –
primarily municipal – to producers and to consumers.
• To reduce the amount of waste generated and going to disposal.
• To reduce the toxicity and environmental risks from products and product waste and
improve the overall life-cycle performance of products, including reducing associated
greenhouse gas emissions.
• To expand the use of EPR in Canada and to ensure producer responsibility requirements
are extended across the country in a consistent and harmonized way with a view to
maximizing the impact of producer responsibility across the national marketplace.
Strategies
• Build the level of manufacturer responsibility for the management of their products by
increasing the number of product categories managed under EPR programs.
• Harmonize EPR programs under common principles with similar regulatory frameworks.
Approved in principle by CCME Council of Ministers October 29, 2009 10