Service Provider FAQs
WEEE Collection Sites
1) What is WEEE?
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. It is the informal name for the variety of electrical and electronic products that are no longer wanted by their owners, including those that were designated in Ontario Regulation 393/04.
2) How does Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) increase the collection of WEEE?
OES recovers WEEE through many collection sites including steward and retailer recycling activities, contracted municipal sites and events, contracted other collection sites and events, directly from industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) generators, and contracted reuse, refurbishment and recycling sites. OES-approved collection sites that collect, sort and prepare WEEE for transport according to OES requirements may receive a financial collection incentive.
3) What are the benefits of participating in the Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) Program?
Participation ensures that the costs of collection equipment, transportation and processing of designated materials are covered by the fees collected from brand owners, first importers and manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) who are obligated to discharge their legal obligations under the Waste Diversion Act (WDA). Municipalities benefit by expanding recycling services to their residents.
4) Is there a collection incentive to become an OES-approved collector/collection site?
Yes. OES-approved collection sites receive a weight-based financial incentive for the designated materials that they receive, sort and prepare for transport by an OES-approved service provider.
5) Do all collectors receive the collection incentive?
Only collection sites that are accessible to the public and collect all or a subset of designated materials are eligible for the incentive. Collectors that are not eligible to receive the incentive include:
- Stewards who take back consumer returns and end-of-lease material for a subset of Phase 1 WEEE
- collections sites that accept a subset of Phase 1 WEEE that excludes some brands
- retailers and municipalities who host an OES Round-Up event
6) Who is eligible to become a collector/collection site?
Any site that volunteers to participate, who registers with OES, meets the OES performance and compliance requirements and is approved as a collection site is eligible.
7) Why does OES require collectors/collection sites to meet performance and compliance requirements?
All OES-approved collection sites need to provide high-quality and reliable services to WEEE generators, and maintain the health and safety of the staff that handle WEEE materials. They must comply with all environmental performance requirements and with applicable municipal, provincial, and federal regulations and requirements.
8) Is every municipality required to provide WEEE (or EEE) services to participate in this program?
No. While we encourage municipalities to take part, municipal participation in the WEEE program is voluntary. OES-approved collection sites that collect, sort and prepare WEEE for transport according to OES requirements receive a financial collection incentive.
9) What are the collection and packaging requirements?
OES program collectors are required to segregate
WEEE materials into three groups:
Group 1– Desktop and portable computers
Group 2 – Display devices (including monitors and televisions)
Group 3 – Printing devices and peripherals and other
materials
Group 1 and 2 materials are stacked, palletized, shrink -wrapped and prepared for transport. Group 3 materials are bulk bagged or placed in a Gaylord box.
10) Can municipalities use other packaging for all WEEE collected?
OES permits specific deviation from OES sorting and packaging requirements for municipalities in some cases. In some cases, municipalities may use Gaylord boxes or roll off bins. For more information, please contact your regional operations representative through services@ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca
11) Are retailers, not-for-profit organizations and/or original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in Ontario required to take back WEEE?
No. Participation in this program is voluntary. OES-approved collectors and collection sites that collect, sort and prepare WEEE for transport according to OES requirements may receive a financial collection incentive.
12) How do retailer special collection events develop?
OES supports retailers of EEE who choose to undertake special collection events for WEEE. Retailers that co-ordinate and provide staffing for events with OES receive handing equipment and transportation and processing services. Special events can range in frequency from one to several events per season based on OES accessibility objectives.
13) How do waste management and recycling companies participate in the program?
Several waste management companies have become OES-approved collectors by meeting the program's compliance, sorting and packaging requirements.
14) Can second hand material collection organizations become OES approved collectors?
Yes. Several second hand organizations are OES-approved collectors and receive the collection incentive for their services..
Reusers/Refurbishers
1) Have reuse/refurbishment organizations been negatively impacted by this program?
No. Reuse/refurbishment is a key element of an OES promotion and education campaign that reaches out to all consumers and generators of WEEE. The program allows reuse organizations to operate as they do currently, and provides the additional benefits of free promotion, advertising and awareness, higher collection volumes, and relief from transportation and end-of-life processing costs.
2) What standards does my organization need to meet to be an OES-approved reuser/refurbishment organization?
The WEEE Reuse and Refurbishment Standard ensures that these activities meet data security standards, and are conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
3) Can a reuser/refurbishment organization apply to become multi-service provider under this Program?
Yes. Please tell us which services you wish to provide during the self-declaration portion of the registration. To register, please navigate to https://mtsreg.oesdatasystem.ca/login.aspx and follow instructions provided.
4) Do I need to apply to become an OES collector if I am already applying to become an OES-approved reuser/refurbisher?
Yes. Your site must first meet the collection site requirements before you can be considered as a reuse/refurbishment site for the program.
6) Will a reuser/refurbisher receive an incentive for reuse/refurbishing activities?
No. Once approved, a reuser/refurbishment site can reuse or refurbish any of the designated materials that it collects. A reuser/refurbisher can collect an incentive from OES for any designated WEEE material that it cannot reuse or refurbish, providing the WEEE is sorted and prepared for transport to OES consolidation centers (in preparation for transport to OES-approved primary processors).
7) What type of incentive do reuse/refurishment sites receive for collection?
Reuse/refurbishment sites must also be approved as collectors. Like all OES-approved collection sites/collectors, they are eligible for weight-based incentive for the designated materials that they sort and prepare for transport to OES consolidation centers for subsequent allocation to OES approved primary processors.
8) I am an IC&I generator and would like to send my equipment for reuse. How can I participate in the program?
OES can send you a list of approved reuse/refurbishment organizations to get you started. As a generator, you will be responsible for transportation cost to the reuse or refurbishment location(s).
Primary Processors
1) What measures does OES take in order to ensure that WEEE is recycled in the most environmentally sound manner?
Under the Revised Phase and 2 WEEE Program all primary processors and their downstream processors ( recyclers) need to meet the principles of the OES Electronic Recycling Standard (ERS). The OES ERS is based upon the Recycling Vendor Qualification Standard (RVQS) developed by Electronic Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC). OES' standard is unique as it is also compatible with the Waste Diversion Act (WDA) and other Ontario regulations, including Regulation 347. A full list of compliance requirements is provided in Appendix 10 of the WEEE Program Plan.
2) What other provincial programs use the EPSC's Recycling Vendor Qualification Standard (RVQS) and audit their processor against the Environmental Recycling Standard (ERS)?
Provincial WEEE programs in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Nova Scotia subscribe to the RVQS standard and the ERS. Ontario subscribes to the same principles but has additional provincial requirements.
3) What regulatory requirements do processors need to meet to be approved by OES?
Companies who wish to partner with OES to become approved primary processors need to familiarize themselves with Appendix 7a Electronics Recycling Standard and 7b Recycling Standard Guidance Document.
Interested companies can use the OES Application and Registration System to apply and begin preparations for their site audit. The online application identifies all downstream processors used by the primary processor until end of life for each component. Applicants are asked to answer questions, attach supporting documentation and submit their application for OES review and third party audit to demonstrate that they meet the ERS requirements. For approval, applicants must also meet the Ontario Specific Compliance requirements outlined in Appendix 10 of the WEEE Program Plan. Once the primary site and downstream audits are completed, the third party auditor makes their recommendation to the OES Board of Directors for final approval.
Interested companies are asked to review the Qualification and Selection Process (described in Appendix 7c of the Program Plan) and/or email customerservice@ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca with any follow up questions before starting an application. To view applicable appendices of the Program Plan, click on: WEEE Program Plan Appendices
4) Can downstream processors receive OES approval?
No, only primary processor receive OES Board approval and have an opportunity to receive material through an allocation bid. Downstream processors are audited to the OES ERS under a primary processor and receive a third party audit against the ERS. Downstream processors can also choose to apply as primary processors.
5) Do downstream processors need to meet the OES ERS and Appendix 10 requirements?
Yes. Primary processors identify their downstream processor during their own primary processor application and as such all downstream processors down the chain until end of life of each WEEE sub-component need to meet the requirements of the OES ERS and Appendix 10 of the WEEE Program Plan.
6) My company is an OES-approved processor. Do I need to be recertified annually?
No. The approval of primary and downstream processors is valid for three years, after which a re-assessment will be required.
7) I Does OES publish a list of OES approved primary processors?
Yes, our website features all approved primary processors.
8) Does OES support opportunities for new entrants to process WEEE?
Yes. OES is committed to supporting an open and competitive market for processing services under the program; therefore, it encourages and provides incentives to promote new entrants. OES does require that companies apply online and ensure they and their downstream meet the OES ERS and Appendix 10 requirements.
9) Is Is OES attempting to control the marketplace by approving only a certain number of WEEE processors in Ontario?
No. OES does not intend to control or limit the number of WEEE processors receiving material under this program. To ensure that WEEE is processed with the highest environmental, health and safety standards OES implemented a stringent Processor Qualification and Selection Process and only those processors that comply with the OES ERS standards will have the opportunity to partner with the program.
The WEEE allocation process by which OES-approved processors receive waste electronics for processing is designed to ensure program effectiveness and efficiency through a competitive RFP process under which OES-approved processors bid for set quantities of WEEE. OES reviews the allocation process to ensure program objectives are effectively met. This process includes on-going consultation with stakeholders.
Consolidators/Transporters
1) Who can become a consolidator/ transporter of WEEE?
A consolidation facility is a location used to receive and bulk WEEE from collection agents and for subsequent transport to a primary processor. A transporter is a company who transports source separated WEEE materials to a consolidation point or primary processor.
2) I want to become an OES approved consolidator/transporter. What do I do?
Interested consolidators and or transporters will be contracted via an equitable and competitive tendering process that is open to all qualified transport service providers. Please check the OES website for updates.
3) Who will cover the transport cost of WEEE?
OES will oversee the transportation of collected WEEE from various collection points. It also will cover the transportation costs from collection zones to consolidation centers and from consolidations centers to approved OES processors.
