WM has opened two new MRFs in Ontario to support the province’s extended producer responsibility legislation, which came into effect on Jan 1.
Located in Cambridge and Greater Napanee, the facilities add processing capacity for increased material volumes under the new regulatory framework. The new MRFs are capable of processing approximately 30% of Ontario’s total volumes under the Blue Box recycling program.
Ontario’s EPR program, administered by producer responsibility organization (PRO) Circular Materials, introduced a province-wide, standardized Blue Box collection list that expands the number of accepted materials. The updated list now includes items previously excluded from most municipal programs, such as hot and cold beverage cups, black plastic packaging, frozen juice containers, ice cream containers, toothpaste tubes and deodorant packaging.
Allen Langdon, CEO of Circular Materials, spoke about the importance of the synergies needed between stakeholders to advance Ontario’s recycling system, saying, “Collaboration with WM, along with producers and other recycling partners, is essential to strengthening our systems and supporting a more circular future for all Ontarians.”
The increase in accepted materials at the start of EPR implementation comes as a direct result of a pilot project Circular Materials completed in 2024, which examined both hot and cold paper-based and plastic-lined cups at home and specified locations in Toronto. Results found an 8% increase in collected polycoated paperboard, which is used in most single-use and poly-lined paper cups.
The MRFs also have spurred job creation, with each new facility supporting 40 local jobs. The sites also feature advanced material separation technologies, including optical sorters, artificial intelligence and robotics, Circular Materials said.
Both the Cambridge and Great Napanee facilities have a processing capacity of up to 160,000 metric tons of material per year and operate with 19 optical sorters and AI assistance.
“These advancements help to streamline processes, increase accuracy and efficiency, and enable a strong focus on innovation, safety and material quality that supports a more circular future,” the PRO said in a statement.
