Quick Answer: Ontario's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, fully transitioned by 2026, shifts recycling costs from municipalities to the producers who create packaging and products. For mattress buyers, this means the packaging your mattress arrives in is now the manufacturer's responsibility to recycle. Here is what changed and how it affects Brantford.
In This Guide
Reading Time: 8 minutes
What Is Extended Producer Responsibility?
Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, is a policy approach that makes producers financially and operationally responsible for the end-of-life management of their products and packaging. Instead of municipalities bearing the full cost of collecting and recycling packaging waste through tax-funded programs, the companies that create the packaging pay for its collection and recycling.
Ontario began transitioning its Blue Box program to a full EPR model in 2023. The transition was completed by the end of 2025, meaning that as of 2026, producers are fully responsible for managing the recycling of their packaging across the province.
At Mattress Miracle, we pay attention to these changes because they affect our industry. Mattresses arrive wrapped in plastic, packed in cardboard, and sometimes cushioned with foam inserts. Under the old system, those materials ended up in municipal recycling streams funded by your property taxes. Under EPR, our suppliers and manufacturers carry that cost.
The Scale of Packaging Waste in Ontario
Ontario generates approximately 3.7 million tonnes of packaging and paper products annually. Before EPR, municipalities collectively spent over $300 million per year managing Blue Box programs. The transition to producer responsibility redirects these costs to the companies generating the packaging, creating financial incentives to reduce, redesign, and recycle more effectively.
What Changed in 2026
The EPR transition happened in phases, with different municipalities moving to the new system between 2023 and 2025. By January 2026, the entire province operates under the new framework. Here are the key changes.
Producers Pay, Not Municipalities
The most fundamental change: companies that put packaging into the Ontario market now pay for its collection and recycling. This includes manufacturers, importers, and brand owners. The cost is based on the type and quantity of packaging they produce.
Consistent Service Across Ontario
Under the old system, recycling acceptance varied widely between municipalities. Brantford might accept certain plastics that Hamilton did not. Under EPR, Circular Materials (the organization managing the program on behalf of producers) is required to provide consistent Blue Box service across the province. The same materials should be accepted everywhere.
IC&I Properties Added
One of the biggest expansions is the inclusion of IC&I (Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional) properties. Previously, most Blue Box programs only served residential properties. Under the new EPR framework, eligible IC&I locations like offices, schools, restaurants, and some retail businesses now receive Blue Box collection services.
IC&I Properties and the Blue Box
The expansion to IC&I properties is significant for businesses in Brantford. Here is what it means in practice.
Which Businesses Are Eligible
Eligible IC&I properties include offices, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and some retail and food service locations. The specific eligibility criteria depend on the size and type of the property. Large industrial operations with their own waste management contracts may not be included in the Blue Box program directly.
What This Means for Small Businesses
For small businesses in Brantford, the EPR expansion can simplify recycling. Instead of arranging separate waste hauling contracts for recyclables, eligible businesses receive Blue Box service as part of the producer-funded system. This reduces costs for small business owners and increases the amount of packaging that gets recycled rather than sent to landfill.
Brantford's Transition
The City of Brantford transitioned to the new producer-managed Blue Box system as part of Ontario's phased rollout. For residents, the day-to-day experience may look similar. You still sort recyclables into your Blue Box. The difference is behind the scenes: Circular Materials now manages collection and processing instead of the city. Any changes to collection schedules or accepted materials are communicated through the city's waste management channels.
Circular Materials and How It Works
Circular Materials is the not-for-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that manages the Blue Box program on behalf of Ontario's producers. It was created to coordinate the collection, transportation, and processing of recyclable materials across the province.
How the System Operates
Producers register with Circular Materials and report the types and quantities of packaging they put into the Ontario market. Based on these reports, they pay fees that fund the entire recycling system. Circular Materials then contracts with collection and processing companies to manage the actual recycling operations.
What Gets Recycled
The EPR-managed Blue Box accepts paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and a wide range of plastics. The specific list of accepted materials is standardized across the province, which is an improvement over the old patchwork system where each municipality set its own rules.
Performance Standards
Producers are held to recycling performance standards set by the Ontario government. These standards require minimum collection and recycling rates for different material categories. If targets are not met, producers face financial penalties. This creates a direct incentive for companies to design packaging that is easier to recycle.
How This Affects the Mattress Industry
You might wonder what a recycling program has to do with mattresses. The connection is more direct than you might think.
Mattress Packaging
Every mattress that arrives at Mattress Miracle comes wrapped in protective packaging. Plastic wrapping, cardboard corner guards, foam edge protectors, and sometimes wooden shipping frames. Under EPR, the manufacturers and brands that produce this packaging are financially responsible for its end-of-life recycling.
Brad has noticed the shift already. "Some of our suppliers have started using less packaging or switching to recyclable materials," he says. "When the cost of disposing of packaging falls on the manufacturer instead of the municipality, they have a real financial reason to use less of it or make it recyclable."
Mattress Disposal
EPR for Blue Box covers packaging, not the mattresses themselves. Old mattress disposal is a separate issue. However, the success of EPR for packaging has prompted discussions about extending similar programs to bulky items like mattresses. Several U.S. states and Canadian provinces are exploring mattress recycling EPR programs.
In the meantime, when you buy a new mattress from Mattress Miracle, our white glove delivery includes old mattress removal. We ensure your old mattress is handled responsibly.
Packaging Changes We Have Noticed
- Less plastic wrap: Some brands now use thinner, recyclable polyethylene instead of thick PVC wrap
- Cardboard over foam: Corner guards increasingly made from recycled cardboard rather than Styrofoam
- Compressed shipping: Bed-in-a-box models use less packaging overall due to compression
- Reusable shipping frames: Some manufacturers use returnable wooden frames instead of single-use pallets
What Brantford Residents Need to Know
For most Brantford residents, the day-to-day impact of EPR is minimal but positive. Here is what matters.
Your Blue Box Still Works the Same Way
You still sort recyclables and put them at the curb on your collection day. The biggest change is behind the scenes. Collection may be handled by a different contractor than before, but the process for residents remains largely the same.
More Materials May Be Accepted
Because the program is now standardized across Ontario, some materials that were previously not accepted in Brantford may now be eligible for Blue Box recycling. Check the City of Brantford's waste management page or Circular Materials for the current accepted materials list.
Reduced Pressure on Property Taxes
With producers covering recycling costs, municipalities should see reduced spending on waste management. In theory, this frees up municipal budgets for other services. The actual impact on property taxes varies by municipality and depends on how each city adjusts its budget.
Mattress Packaging Recycling Tip
When your new mattress is delivered, our team removes all packaging. If you prefer to handle disposal yourself, the plastic wrap and cardboard from your mattress packaging can go in your Blue Box (check that the plastic type is accepted in your area). Foam inserts may need to go to a depot or in regular waste. Do not put them in the Blue Box unless your local program specifically accepts them.
Shop: Shop The Full Mattress Lineup
Shop This Topic at Mattress Miracle
Popular picks at Mattress Miracle:
- Restonic's ComfortCare Dalton & Albany
- Whitney double-sided mattress
- Somnia 3.0 posture support pillow
Or shop the full mattress lineup in our Brantford showroom.
Find Your Perfect Mattress at Mattress Miracle
We are a family-owned mattress store in Brantford, helping our community sleep better since 1997. Come try mattresses in person and get honest, no-pressure advice.
441 1/2 West Street, Brantford, Ontario
Call 519-770-0001Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ontario's Blue Box EPR cover mattress recycling?
No. The Blue Box EPR program covers packaging and paper products, not the mattresses themselves. Mattress disposal is separate. When you purchase from Mattress Miracle, our delivery team removes your old mattress with your purchase so you do not have to worry about disposal logistics.
How does EPR affect the price of mattresses?
The impact on mattress prices is minimal. Manufacturers may absorb slightly higher packaging compliance costs, but these are small relative to the overall cost of a mattress. Some brands are actually reducing costs by using less packaging, which offsets EPR fees. We have not seen significant price increases at Mattress Miracle related to EPR compliance.
Can I recycle mattress packaging in my Blue Box in Brantford?
Most mattress packaging materials are Blue Box eligible. Cardboard boxes and corner guards go in the Blue Box. Plastic film wrap should be checked against your local accepted materials list, as not all plastic films are accepted in curbside programs. Our delivery team removes all packaging during white glove delivery, so this is typically handled for you.
What is Circular Materials?
Circular Materials is the not-for-profit Producer Responsibility Organization managing Ontario's Blue Box program under EPR. It coordinates collection and recycling on behalf of the producers who fund the system. They contract with local haulers and processors to ensure recycling services reach all eligible properties across the province.
Will mattress EPR come to Ontario?
There is no legislated mattress EPR program in Ontario yet, but the concept is being discussed. British Columbia, Connecticut, California, and Oregon have already implemented mattress recycling programs. Ontario's success with Blue Box EPR could pave the way for similar programs covering bulky items like mattresses in the future.
Sources
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. (2021). Blue Box Regulation (O. Reg. 391/21) under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act. Government of Ontario.
- Circular Materials. (2025). Producer Responsibility for Blue Box in Ontario: Program Overview. circularmaterials.ca
- Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA). (2024). Blue Box Transition Progress Report. RPRA Publications.
- Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. (2009). Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility. CCME Publications.
- Mattress Recycling Council. (2023). State of Mattress Recycling in North America. MRC Annual Report.
Visit Our Brantford Showroom
We are located at 441½ West Street in downtown Brantford. Free parking available. Our team does not work on commission, so you get honest advice based on your needs.
Mattress Miracle , 441½ West Street, Brantford, ON · (519) 770-0001
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 10am–6pm, Thursday–Friday 10am–7pm, Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 12pm–4pm.