Whereas the inclusion of mattresses and bulky furniture in an Extended Producer Responsibility EPR Program ensures the costs associated with recycling and disposal are borne by manufacturers; And whereas an EPR program for mattresses would create jobs, divert materials that are difficult to manage at disposal facilities, save landfill space, reduce GHG emissions and save energy through recycling: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to include mattresses and bulky furniture in an Extended Producer Responsibility EPR program to shift the cost and responsibility of recycling and disposing of these materials from local governments to manufacturers.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Province has heard that both stakeholders and the public want Extended Producer Responsibility EPR programs to collect more materials. Based on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategys the ministry recent 2019 review of potential products for inclusion under EPR programs which included a product and services gap analysis to identify opportunities for EPR expansion, the ministry has finalized a priority listing of productscategories to be addressed going forward. A Recycling Regulation Policy Intentions Paper IP https:engage.gov.bc.cagovtogetherbcconsultationrecycling-regulation-pol… has been developed and was released on September 12, 2020. Through the priority products identified from the 2019 service gap analysis and the CleanBC Plastics Action Plan released in 2019, the IP has outlined the proposed amendments to the Recycling Regulation. The What We Heard report on the plans engagement is available online. https:cleanbc.gov.bc.caplastics Upholstered furniture was not brought forth as a priority by local or Indigenous governments or from a range of stakeholders during our analysis. However, mattresses were identified and are included as part of the proposed amendments. The ministry received substantive feedback from key partners and stakeholders by the November 20, 2020 submission deadline for the IP. This feedback will be summarized and made publicly available by Spring 2021. This will help to inform and develop proposed priorities as part of a five-year plan for amending the Recycling Regulation.