Ontario Lighting Program 
Version 1 – Effective January 1, 2023

Beginning January 1, 2023, under Ontario Regulation 522/20: Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE Regulation), there are new requirements for producers who supply obligated lighting products into Ontario, to collect and recycle lighting products at their end-of-life.

Product Care Recycling is a registered Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in Ontario setting up a comprehensive lighting recycling Program to help producers comply with their obligations under the EEE Regulation. The Ontario Lighting Program establishes a province-wide collection system for all types of lighting obligated under the EEE Regulation including fluorescent tubes, CFLs, LEDs, HIDs, UV, halogens and incandescent bulbs or tubes.

How the Program Works
Ontario residents or businesses (“customers”) can bring their post-consumer used light bulbs or tubes to a Collection Site, for recycling. Under the Program, no compensation can be provided, and no fees can be charged to residents or businesses who deposit/drop off their post-consumer used lighting products at a Collection Site. The collected lighting from the Collection Sites will be transported via a Product Care approved transporter to a Product Care approved recycler, for recycling. The program is funded by Environmental Handling Fees (EHFs) that are paid to Product Care by producers that are registered in the Program. For more information on Program funding please visit productcare.org or contact ontario@productcare.org.

Safety
Fluorescent light bulbs/tubes and high intensity discharge bulbs (HID), such as high-pressure sodium lamps and metal halide lamps, are commonly used in households, businesses and commercial/industrial applications and are considered safe under normal conditions of use. However, these lamps do contain a very small amount of mercury, which is a highly toxic substance. The risk to health and the environment only occurs if the light bulb is broken so care must be taken in handling the bulbs to ensure they do not break.