After extensive engagement with Yukoners, businesses, municipalities and other stakeholders, the Government of Yukon is moving forward with changes to the Designated Materials Regulation.
The changes will apply new recycling surcharges to electronics, electrical products and tires at the point of purchase to help offset the cost of collecting and recycling those items. Yukoners will no longer pay tipping fees for these products at depots and solid waste facilities.
While much positive feedback was received during engagement with Yukoners, there were also concerns about possible impact on local business. The Government of Yukon used this feedback to improve the designated material regulations making the new model better for Yukoners and Yukon businesses. For example the category structure for tires now aligns with Alberta and the category structure for electronic and electrical products aligns with British Columbia.
Yukon-specific surcharges for these categories ensure the majority of costs associated with collecting and recycling these items is borne by the consumers of these products, rather than taxpayers.
Discussions on the next round of items to be added to the Designated Materials Regulation will begin soon as part of an on-going process of improving waste management in Yukon.
Modern recycling is vital to reduce waste in landfills, increase the re-use of resources, and keep our environment clean. Everyone has a part to play in decreasing waste and these new changes help reduce risks to Yukon’s natural environment now and into the future.
Minister of Environment Pauline Frost
I want to thank all of the citizens, local businesses and municipalities; their feedback has helped to improve the new recycling model. These regulations are an important step in our evolving system of responsible waste diversion and management here in the Yukon, and I am excited that we are taking action.
Minister of Community Services John Streicker
Surcharges on tires and electronic and electrical products are the norm across Canada. Yukoners already pay them when they purchase these products out-of-territory. By updating the regulation, we make sure these surcharges stay in Yukon to fund recycling programs here.
The new surcharges will apply to products purchased online.
By encouraging Yukoners to recycle items like electronics, electrical products and tires, we reduce waste in our landfill, increase the re-use of our resources and keep our environment clean.
Examples of surcharge changes based on public feedback
| Product/Category | 2017* Proposed Surcharge | Oct - 2018 New Surcharge |
| Car tire | $7.00 | $7.00 |
| Semi-truck tire | $50.00 | $9.00 |
| Computer | $15.00 | $2.80 |
| Laptop | $10.00 | $2.00 |
| Big-screen TV | $30.00 | $56.00 |
| Cell phone | $2.00 | $0.14 |
| Microwave | $8.00 | $10.94 |
| Vacuum | $5.00 | $4.38 |
*These surcharges were first proposed in 2014 and again in 2017
See the complete list of surcharge rates here.
Sunny Patch
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7478
sunny.patch@gov.yk.ca
Erin Loxam
Communications, Environment
867-393-7442
erin.loxam@gov.yk.ca
Diana Dryburgh
Communications, Community Services
867-332-1237
diana.dryburgh@gov.yk.ca