Revised Environmental Handling Fees (EHF) associated with paint and coatings products on Prince Edward Island will be effective for sales made on or after April 1, 2015. The current EHFs for these products should continue to be applied to sales made up to and including March 31, 2015. The table below outlines the revised EHFs.
Prince Edward Island Paint Fees – change of fee rates effective April 1, 2015
| Paint container size | Current rates | New rates as of April 1, 2015 |
| 100 ml to 250 ml | $0.20 | $0.25 |
| 251 ml to 1 litre | $0.35 | $0.50 |
| 1.01 litres to 5 litres | $0.70 | $1.00 |
| 5.01 litres to 23 litres | $1.50 | $1.95 |
| Aerosol paint (any size) | $0.20 | $0.30 |
Prior to the launch of the Prince Edward Island (PEI) Paint Stewardship Program in September of 2012, Product Care Association (PCA) developed the current fee rates based on a number of factors including:
- projected revenue based on estimated sales
- expenses associated with collection, transportation, and processing of paint in the province based on expected program collection volumes
- other expenses related to program promotion and education, reporting, auditing and other requirements.
These cost estimates were based, in part, on PCA’s extensive experience with other paint recycling programs in the Atlantic region and elsewhere in Canada. Accordingly, it is necessary to increase fee rates in order to make the program sustainable over the longer term. PCA will continue to look for ways to improve program efficiency and control costs.
Please note that the new fee rates are determined by PCA in response to actual program revenues and costs. Rates are set by PCA’s board of directors, which includes leading paint sector representatives, and not by government.
It is the decision of each member of the program how to manage the cost represented by the EHFs payable to the program. Note the provisions in the Regulations with regard to fees and the display by retailers of education and awareness material at point of sale:
- No retailer shall charge a consumer any separate fee with respect to the costs associated with implementing or operating a paint stewardship plan. (EC349/14)
- A retailer shall prominently display, at the point of display or the point of sale of a consumer paint product, the education and awareness program information referred to in clause 37(3)(f) that is supplied to it by the brand owner or the brand owner’s agent. (EC349/14)
(see the Regulations)
PCA appreciates your continued cooperation in strengthening the PEI Paint Stewardship Program. We welcome your questions and comments on this matter.