Consultation on the Nova Scotia Readiness Report

Thank you to those who participated in Circular Materials’ consultation and engagement on the Readiness Report for Packaging, Paper Products, and Packaging-like products (PPP) in Nova Scotia.  

All feedback submissions are being reviewed and considered as we finalized the Readiness Report to ensure it meets all stakeholder interests. The Readiness Report will be submitted to Divert NS in October 2024.   

As planning is underway to prepare for the transition to an extended producer responsibility framework on December 1, 2025, Circular Materials will be continuing its engagement process with the Mi’kmaq First Nations along with conducting discovery meetings on promotion and education with the Regional Waste Regions and municipalities.  

Circular Materials looks forward to enhancing Nova Scotia’s recycling program.

FAQs

Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers with meeting their obligations under extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations across Canada.

As the designated PRO for PPP in Nova Scotia, Circular Materials has developed a Nova Scotia Readiness Report on behalf of its producers who are obligated by the Environmental Act. 

To ensure the Readiness Report represents the interests of First Nations and stakeholders, we will be engaging producers, First Nations, municipal representatives and service providers in a comprehensive and meaningful consultation process. Following the consultation period, the Readiness Report will be finalized and submitted to Divert Nova Scotia for review in October 2024.

The Readiness Report will be of interest to all those involved as the province transitions to EPR: producers, municipalities, First Nations, municipal organizations, service providers, and residents.

The transition to EPR will occur on December 1, 2025.

The Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, Paper Products, and Packaging-Like Products Regulations under the Environment Act provides a definition of “producer determination”.

The hierarchy places responsibility on:  

a. The brand holder who is resident in Canada whose packaging and/or paper is supplied to Nova Scotia consumers as the first person who would be responsible.  

b. Where no brand holder is resident in Canada, then the importer who supplied the packaging and/or paper who is resident in Nova Scotia. 

c. Where no importer is resident in Nova Scotia, then the retailer who supplied Blue Box materials to consumers in Nova Scotia. 

The regulation requires producers to submit an initial report containing their supply data for the previous calendar year.

Reporting schedule:

  • September 1, 2024: 2024 report (2023 data) due to Circular Materials.
  • October 1, 2024: 2024 report (2023 data) due to Divert NS.
  • May 31, 2025, and future years: reports due to Circular Materials.

 If you have other questions, please see our general FAQs or email us at info@circularmaterials.ca.

Key Dates

March 2024

Consultation period on Readiness Report began.

October 1, 2024

Final Readiness Report and consultation report submitted to Divert NS.

June 2025

Offer made to provide collection services to eligible sources within the Reserves of each Mi’kmaq First Nation of Nova Scotia.

December 1, 2025

Program launch.

Community information

We’re collaborating with communities in Nova Scotia during the
transition to extended producer responsibility.

LEARN MORE