In Germany this signifies that a producer has paid the entire cost of handling its packaging in the waste stream. The Green Dot will lend credibility to an exercise that is completely different from European- style extended producer responsibility. Policymakers outside Ontario should therefore look closely at recent developments in that province. The ministry is consulting further with some industry groups that were caught off-guard by the announcement, but Mr. Newman's acceptance of the WDO proposals is a victory for packaging producers. The sharing of costs is a real bargain for industry.
Critics say the scheme is flawed.
The cost to landfill packaging that's not recycled will be paid for completely by taxpayers, and this portion is high because recovery rates are low in deposit-free Ontario for certain materials. For example only 36 per cent of PET plastic is recovered in Ontario, whereas 66.6 per cent is recovered through B.C.'s deposit system. There's no added incentive for brand owners to further mitigate the environmental impact of their packaging, since the WDO will determine what producers must contribute to the scheme based on total sales. This differs completely from the PRO Europe system in which producers pay the cost of actually recovering their packing from the waste stream. The WDO plan limits costs to industry and makes municipalities completely responsible for further waste diversion achievements and the funding of these, mostly through organics.