Ecomodulation, a key lever of producer financial participation

The financial contribution producers must make to the curbside recycling system is not only determined by the amount and type of materials reported, system cost, and the total amount of materials reported by all producers. The compatibility of collected or marketed materials with recycling or recovery infrastructure also makes a difference.

Ecomodulation measures incentivize the use of easily recyclable materials and penalize the use of materials that are non-recyclable or that impede the processing of other materials.

Rates by material

Every material that must be reported is assigned a rate according to its type and its suitability for a recycling stream. Put simply, these rates are calculated based on the answers to three questions:

How does the material behave at the sorting centre (MRF)?
Can it be sorted, processed, and recycled so it can have a second life?
Will it disrupt the recycling of other materials?

Key determinants of the rates for each material subject to a fee

Total costs of curbside recycling
Net cost for each material
Quantity of reported containers, packaging, and printed paper
Recovery rate of each material

Consult the materials guide and the Fee Schedule page to see the fees for the containers, packaging, and printed materials you place on the market.

Incentive

Ecodesign bonus

Your ecodesign efforts related to containers, packaging, or printed papers could pay off. You could be eligible for a credit of up to 50% of your financial participation for the materials covered by the initiative, in the form of a credit note that can be applied to the balance of your financial contribution (PFP).

What are the eligibility criteria for the bonus?

Be a contributing company compliant with ÉEQ: needs to have submitted its report and paid all amounts due from previous obligation years by the prescribed deadlines, unless otherwise agreed in writing with ÉEQ;
Have submitted a detailed report, within the given timeframe;
Have placed on the market one or more ecodesigned containers or packaging during reference calendar year;
Have submitted the Bonus Application Form as well as supporting documents within the given timeframe;
Agree that ÉEQ may communicate the ecodesign initiatives rewarded by the Bonus.

Awarded cases by producers

Consult initiatives rewarded by the bonus

See case studies

What are the available bonus amounts?

Percentages of bonus for six actions grouped in the three ecodesign strategies
A maximum amount of $50,000 may be awarded for each bonus application
A minimum bonus amount of $10,000 per producer or capped at the total PFP amount if less than $10,000
A maximum amount of $100,000 may be granted if a producer submits multiple bonus requests

How do I submit an application?

Fill out the Bonus Application Form and indicate the ecodesign actions you have taken.
Between April 1 and June 30 of each year, submit the application form, sales or purchase reports documenting the units placed on the market, and all supporting documents to the email address bonusecoconception@eeq.ca. If multiple applications are submitted, the various supporting documents must be clearly identified and grouped together.

Would you like more details on eligible actions or how to prepare your application?

Consult the Ecodesign Bonus Guide and our FAQ.

Financial penalty (malus)

We have introduced a penalty to discourage the use of materials that cannot be easily recycled or that disrupt the processing of other materials. This penalty is also a reminder of the economic and environmental impact of the containers, packaging, and printed paper you market.

The amounts from the penalty will be deposited into a fund intended to support initiatives aimed at accelerating the use of recyclable materials compatible with the curbside recycling system.

These penalties apply to...

Any company that markets containers, packaging, and printed paper, and that submits a detailed report
Any container or packaging whose predominant material is subject to a penalty

Our Malus Guide outlines how the malus is applied and provides examples of substitutions of targeted materials. You can access it right here.

Consult the guide

Which materials are penalties are apllied to?

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

PVC is a plastic material that has been used for many years to make containers and packaging. It is accepted in recycling bins, but it does not have a recycling pathway. It cannot be processed or reintroduced into the market. Because it contains chlorine and additives, it can disrupt the recycling of other materials, affect operations in sorting centres, and cause problems for the environment and health.

Polylactic acid (PLA) and other degradable plastics

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a plastic material typically made from corn starch or sugar cane. It is increasingly used to manufacture containers and food packaging.

Biodegradable plastics contain additives to accelerate their breakdown into small pieces, which contributes to the microplastic problem.

These materials are not accepted in recycling bins. As our report on this material shows, there are no adequate pathways for processing these materials at the end of their life.

The penalty is a percentage of the contribution amount related to the targeted materials and is automatically applied to the first payment of the current year. Regarding the malus, the penalty for the Producer Financial Participation (PFP) 2027 will be 75% for PVC and 50% for PLA and other degradable plastics.

Search