New eco fees catching consumers by surprise

Levies ranges from a few cents to several dollars

receipt shows the 13-cent eco fee paid on a bottle of dish detergent on July 7, 2010 at the Canadian Tire at Bay and Dundas.

(Jesse McLean Staff Reporter)

Checking her receipt as she left a downtown Canadian Tire, Chris Colorado noticed a new charge.

Her $1.99 bottle of dish soap was accompanied by a 13-cent “eco fee.”

The levy for thousands of new products, from pharmaceuticals to fire extinguishers, quietly came into effect July 1, the same day as the harmonized sales tax.

But unlike that tax, provincial agencies have done little to publicize the new fees, catching consumers like Colorado by surprise.

“I’ve never heard anything about this fee. No one’s talking about it,” she said. “The fact they just put it without us knowing, I don’t think it’s honest. I don’t like it.”

Manufacturers must pay the province a levy for recycling their products. Some companies are passing these costs, ranging from a few cents to several dollars per product, onto consumers.

Stewardship Ontario, the agency overseeing the eco fees, began its $2.5 million public education campaign at the beginning of the month, which consists of posters and radio spots, as well as a group which tours public events and provides information about the program.

“We would rather spend the money to educate people than to spend the money months ahead to say, ‘Hey, there’s a new eco fee coming,’ ” said spokeswoman Amanda Harper Sevonty.

“Our message to consumers isn’t about the eco fees. Our message to consumers is about here are the materials and what to do with them.”

What gets the fee:

All aerosol containers, from paint to hairspray.

Rechargeable batteries, as well as non-lead acid motive batteries.

Corrosives and irritants, such as household bleaches, drain cleaners and detergents.

Assorted toxic, flammable and reactive products.

Syringes and needles.

Pharmaceuticals for humans and pets, including prescription medicine, over-the-counter drugs and natural health products.

Fluorescent tubes and bulbs.

Fire extinguishers.

For a full list and details on where to dispose these items, visit makethedrop.ca