On December 10, 2024, I had the opportunity to attend the conference "Spotlight on Current and Upcoming EPR Programs," organized at the Maison du Développement Durable by the Quebec chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). My thanks to the participants: Jules Foisy Lapointe, General Manager of GoRecycle; Jean-François Richard, General Manager of SOGHU; Maryse Vermette, CEO of Éco-Entreprises Québec; and the Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Consignaction for their rich and informative presentations. I also want to acknowledge Sabrina Charron’s excellent moderation, which skillfully guided the discussions with energy and relevance.
Priority Programs with Tangible Results
Quebec’s waste management heavily relies on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs, which play a key role in reducing environmental impacts. These programs, fully funded by responsible industries, include:
Refrigeration Appliances (GoRecycle): This program collects approximately 200,000 appliances annually, preventing up to 200,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent emissions by destroying refrigerants. Despite significant progress, issues such as non-compliant recyclers and producers evading participation remain critical challenges, driving up costs for compliant corporate citizens.
Used Oil (SOGHU): Each liter of properly collected used oil protects up to 1 million liters of drinking water from contamination. With about 60,000 tons recovered annually, this program exemplifies a mature system, although there is still room to capture volumes escaping collection.
Recycling (Éco-Entreprises Québec): In transition, this program allocates nearly $800 million for 2025 to businesses placing packaged goods on the market, fully transferring management responsibility to producers. Current challenges include harmonizing processes between municipalities and sorting centers and modernizing infrastructure.
Deposit System (Consignaction): With an ambitious goal of collecting 4.2 billion containers annually and achieving a 90% recovery rate by 2032, challenges remain significant enough to warrant further elaboration in upcoming updates.
Persistent Challenges
Freeloaders
Some industries refuse to participate in EPR programs, increasing costs for rule-abiding producers. Stronger enforcement of penalties by the government is essential to balance contributions and ensure fairness.
Ambitious Yet Necessary Goals
Quebec has set high recovery targets, such as 70% for refrigeration appliances by 2027, while modernizing infrastructure to handle increased volumes. These goals, though ambitious, align with international best practices. However, even in Europe, where waste management infrastructure is more advanced, recovery rates average between 50% and 65%, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
One significant concern involves non-compliant scrap dealers who extract metal components from appliances without properly managing refrigerants and plastics. These practices directly release greenhouse gases (GHGs) with high global warming potential (up to 10,000 times that of CO₂), significantly amplifying their climate impact.
To meet these goals, it is crucial to:
Strengthen regulations and controls to limit non-compliant activities.
Raise awareness among citizens and businesses about the importance of using approved collection points.
Invest in infrastructure capable of efficiently handling growing volumes while capturing and destroying refrigerants.
Expedite penalties for non-compliant corporate actors.
Limited Infrastructure
The increasing volumes, particularly for plastics and refrigerants, strain current capacities. Additional investments and stronger partnerships are vital to support these efforts.
Focus on Reuse and the Right to Repair
Reuse is gaining traction as a positive alternative to linear consumption. However, in Quebec, the right to repair remains underdeveloped:
Availability of Spare Parts: Manufacturers are not required to provide long-term access to spare parts, limiting repair opportunities.
Repair Costs: Often prohibitive, high costs push consumers toward replacement rather than repair.
European examples demonstrate that integrating repairability into EPR is possible:
Legislation mandates the availability of spare parts for a defined period.
Community repair centers, supported by public subsidies, offer affordable solutions.
I hope Quebec draws inspiration from these models to promote a circular economy and further reduce waste.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) : Sustaining Positive Impact and Moving Forward Together
Despite challenges, EPR programs represent a significant step toward a sustainable and efficient model. Industries continue to invest heavily in modernizing infrastructure, raising citizen awareness, and meeting regulatory requirements.
I left the conference convinced once again that these programs, while imperfect, are essential to building a robust and responsible circular economy. The corporate citizens who support them have a major positive impact on our communities.
Thank you again to all speakers and organizers for this inspiring gathering, which paves the way for tangible improvements for Quebec.
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