Frequently Asked Questions

A battery producer qualifies for an exemption if its management requirement is less than 1.25 tonnes of rechargeable batteries or less than 2.5 tonnes of single-use batteries. A producer’s management requirement is calculated as a percentage of the weight of batteries supplied into Ontario in a specific period. This calculation changes each year, and therefore producers should verify whether they qualify for an exemption annually.

For information about how to calculate your management requirement, refer to our FAQ, How are battery producer minimum management requirements determined?

A producer who meets the weight exemption and has five or more full-time employees does not have collection or management requirements but is required to register and report battery supply data to the Authority.

A producer who meets the weight exemption and has less than five full-time employees has no obligation under the Batteries Regulation.

Producers who want to confirm their status as an exempt producer should contact the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.

There is no audit verification requirement for the first two supply data reports submitted to the Authority. Therefore, data submitted for single-use batteries supplied in 2018, 2019, and 2020, as well as rechargeable batteries supplied in 2018 and 2019 will not have to be verified in accordance with the Registry Procedure – Verification and Audit.

As shown in the table below, under section 15 of the Battery Regulation, the first supply data report for which there are audit and verification requirements will be submitted in 2022. This supply data report is for single-use batteries supplied in 2021 and rechargeable batteries supplied in 2020.

Producer supply data is used to calculate their individual minimum management requirements under the Batteries Regulation.

To learn how calculations are formulated, visit the FAQ How are battery producer minimum management requirements determined?

Any battery producer who marketed batteries in Ontario between January 1, 2018, and November 30, 2020, must register with the Authority by completing the registration form and emailing it as an attachment to registry@rpra.ca by January 31, 2021.

Here are the lists of registered PROs:

Tire PROs

Battery PROs

EEE PROs

Blue Box PROs

Hazardous and Special Products PROs

These lists will continue to be updated as new PROs register with RPRA.

The Batteries Regulation applies to the following types of batteries sold separately in Ontario (e.g., not embedded in products):

• Single-use (primary) batteries weighing 5 kg or less and sold separately from products; and
• Rechargeable batteries weighing 5 kg or less and sold separately from products.

Examples of single-use and rechargeable batteries that fall under the Batteries Regulation are button cells, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, lantern batteries, sealed lead-acid batteries, and replacement batteries for products (for example, drill, cell phone, laptop) that weigh under 5 kg or less.

The regulation does not apply to the following:

• Batteries sold with or in products (for example, batteries sold with or in drills, cell phones, laptops, toys, vapes, fire alarms); or
• Batteries over 5 kg (for example, car batteries, forklift batteries, stationary batteries).

For more information, see the Compliance Bulletin: What batteries have to be reported?

If you have questions about what items are and are not covered under the Batteries Regulation, contact the Compliance and Registry Team at registry@rpra.ca or (647) 496-0530 or toll-free at (833) 600-0530.

A producer’s individual management requirements are determined by the following formulas found in section 13 of the Regulation:

It is important to note that producer’s must ensure that all batteries collected are managed regardless of their minimum management requirement.

As of July 1, 2020, producers are required to establish and operate a collection system for batteries that meets the accessibility requirements in the regulation. Producers must ensure that all batteries collected are managed regardless of their minimum management requirements.

For producers to meet their obligations, they have the choice of establishing and operating their own collection and management system or working with one or more producer responsibility organizations (PROs) that are registered with the Authority.

Please contact the Compliance Team at 833-600-0530 or registry@rpra.ca to discuss other requirements under the Batteries Regulation.

In 2020, the Authority’s Registrar did not require producers to meet the November 30, 2020, registration deadline. The Registrar extended the deadline to January 31, 2021, to support producers with gathering the necessary information needed for registration, which included producers of single-use batteries to submit their 2019 supply data, producers of rechargeable batteries and producers of ITT/AV to submit their 2018 supply data as well as pay for their 2020 registry fees.

The September 30, 2021, deadline is for producers of single-use batteries to submit 2020 supply data, producers of rechargeable batteries and producers of ITT/AV to submit 2019 supply data, along with paying for their 2021 registry fees. The 2021 deadline was moved to September due to the development of the registry and the fees consultation.

Beginning 2022, the registration deadline for the battery annual supply report will be April 30 of every year.

For the reporting period ending September 30, 2021, producers of batteries and ITT/AV are required to report the following:

If you are a producer of ITT/AV, you are required to report:

• The weight of ITT/AV supplied in 2019
• If applicable, the weight of post-consumer recycled content or products eligible for a reduction in management requirement (outlined in the EEE Verification and Audit Procedure) supplied in Ontario for 2019

To learn what specific ITT/AV are required to be reported, read our Compliance Bulletin What ITT/AV needs to be reported?

If you are a producer of single-use batteries, you are required to report:

• The weight of single-use batteries supplied in 2020
• If applicable, the weight (if any), of post-consumer recycled content contained in the batteries supplied in Ontario for 2020

If you are a producer of rechargeable batteries, you are required to report:

• The weight of rechargeable batteries supplied in 2019
• If applicable, the weight of post-consumer recycled content contained in the batteries supplied in Ontario for 2019

You can use our weight conversion factor to determine weights, in which case you will need to determine the number of units sold into Ontario for each applicable material. For more information, visit our Battery Verification and Audit Procedure.

To learn what specific batteries are required to be reported, read our Compliance Bulletin What batteries need to be reported?