Take it Back! Program

Are you a resident looking to dispose of a specific item? Check the Waste Explorer.

If you're a business, team up with more than 600 retailers and charitable organizations in Ottawa to safely dispose, recycle or reuse consumer products at the end of their life cycle. You will be helping your community and the environment.

The City's Take it Back! program encourages local businesses to “take back” many of the household materials that they sell, and to ensure they are reused, recycled or disposed of properly. This program provides a convenient and safe way for residents of Ottawa to return household items that should not go in the garbage to participating retailers and charitable organizations.

Since its inception, the Take it Back! program has grown from three automotive products taken back by 16 automotive retailers in 1997, to more than 900 different products taken back by over 600 retailers and charitable organizations.

Some of the benefits of being a Take it Back! member include:

• Increased consumer traffic, as Take it Back! retailers are featured on the City's Waste Explorer. 
• In-store promotional material to let everyone know you are a Take it Back! member.
• City-wide recognition as an environmentally responsible business.

If you are interested in joining the Take it Back! Program, please fill out a Registration Form.

Please be advised that the City of Ottawa makes no representations whatsoever about the Take it Back! retailers or organizations listed in the directory. Any links to third party websites or references to the retailers, organizations, products, services or publications do not constitute endorsement or approval by the City of Ottawa.

Tires Regulation:

The Tires Regulation under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA) designated tires as the first material under Ontario’s Individual Producer Responsibility framework (IPR). This means producers of tires are responsible for the cost of recycling their goods.

Ontario Regulation 522/20, Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE): 

The Ontario Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) Regulation, Ontario Regulation 522/20, made under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA), came into effect on January 1, 2021.

The Regulation enacts Individual Producer Responsibility. This means producers of electrical and electronic equipment are now responsible for the cost of recycling their goods. The regulation also moves the oversight of EEE recycling obligations to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA).

Hazardous and Special Products Program:

The Hazardous and Special Products Program came into effect on October 1, 2021. This Program also enacts Individual Producer Responsibility where hazardous and special products, such as paints, solvents, pressurized containers, oil filters and more, are the responsibility of the producers. This regulation is overseen by the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA). 

Paint retailers

Local businesses looking to register and become a service provider for paint products, please refer to productcare.org for details.