Changes to the Environment Act have been passed in the Yukon Legislative Assembly, although opposition MLAs have expressed concerns about the regulations to come.
The amendments that were given assent on Oct. 23 clarify the definitions of producer and steward, clarify the scope of commissioner in executive council’s power to assign responsibility for the collection and recovery of designated materials to stewards and clarify and expand regulation-making powers related to extended producer responsibility.
Environment Minister Nils Clarke told the house during third reading of the bill on Oct. 18 that an extended producer responsibility system is intended for the private sector to take over the collection and recovery of waste, thus the details will be worked out by producers while a stewardship plan is being developed.
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Clarke said the changes to the act are required to carry out extended producer responsibility regulation.
“Without these changes, there is the potential for certain large producers to not be captured under the act and regulations, which could unfairly place the burden of these programs on Yukon businesses and groups that are not the ones who are most responsible for the introduction of materials and waste into the Yukon,” he said.
The regulations are being drafted and are expected to be passed by cabinet this winter. The next steps will be to develop, approve and implement the stewardship plan over two years.
“The plan will outline waste-diversion metrics and associated targets, targets for accessibility and service levels of the collection network and plans for public awareness efforts,” Clarke said.
“The plan will provide financial and operational details, including how the proposed targets will be met and how collected products will be managed at end-of-life in accordance with the waste management hierarchy where top priority is placed on waste prevention, followed by reuse, recycling, recovery and finally disposal.”
The plan must be reviewed and approved by the minister, which Clarke said will ensure that it is in line with the expected level of service and waste diversion goals. The plan will be reviewed every five years, and higher targets may be proposed, he said. Producers are expected to produce annual public reports on the program.
Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon said his party supported the bill given there was nothing “objectionable” in it. His party still has concerns about the prospective system and questions about the regulations.
“Without seeing the details, it’s difficult to comment on, but I remain skeptical that this proposed program won’t increase the cost of living for Yukoners, that it won’t increase the cost of many goods,” Dixon said.
“I think that any costs that are imposed on producers will be passed down to consumers eventually.”
Yukon NDP MLA for Whitehorse Centre Lane Tredger said their party also supported the bill. However, Tredger is mostly concerned about what they have learned during debate on the bill about the government’s intentions for the regulations.
For example, Tredger questions the amount of power being given to profit-driven producers to come up with their own targets, noting other jurisdictions have legislated targets.
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Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com