The Government of Yukon will be implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the territory, which will make companies and producers responsible for the recycling or disposal of their products and packaging.
EPR will help make recycling more financially sustainable, keep more waste out of landfills and help the Yukon reach the waste diversion and greenhouse gas reduction targets under Our Clean Future.
All 10 provinces have Extended Producer Responsibility programs in place. The Yukon will be the first territory to introduce an EPR program. Developing consistent extended producer responsibility policies and programs for plastics is a priority identified in the Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste which is being implemented by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
Public engagement on Extended Producer Responsibility starts today. Yukoners and stakeholders are encouraged to fill out the online survey which will be open until January 27, 2023. The first opportunity for Yukoners to provide feedback in person will take place at the Recycling Summit open house tonight from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse.
We are working to reduce waste and support a greener, modernized approach to waste management in the Yukon. By implementing an Extended Producer Responsibility program, we are shifting the responsibility of product and packaging waste from consumers to producers. I encourage all Yukoners to submit their feedback on how we can better divert unnecessary waste in the territory and fulfil our commitment in Our Clean Future to implement a system for Extended Producer Responsibility by 2025.
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The Government of Yukon and City of Whitehorse are co-hosting a Recycling Summit from November 1 to 3.
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Action I14 in Our Clean Future commits us to “design and implement a system for Extended Producer Responsibility by 2025 that will make producers responsible for managing materials through the lifecycle of a product". EPR was also a recommendation from the Ministerial Committee on Solid Waste.
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The Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment met for the 2022 annual meeting in Whitehorse on August 31.
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This public engagement on Extended Producer Responsibility in the Yukon marks the 100th major, territory-wide public engagement undertaken by the Government of Yukon since 2017.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Chantelle Rivest
Communications, Environment
867-334-9815
chantelle.rivest@yukon.ca