Do I report all plant pots supplied to consumers even though some of them are kept by consumers and never thrown away?

Plants can be purchased in a variety of different types of containers some of which are designated by the stewardship programs and some are not. Whether or not a plant pot is a designated material is dependent upon its durability and whether or not it is designed for the consumer to keep or dispose of it shortly after purchase.  

• For Recycle BC stewards, plant pots are designated as Packaging-Like Product in the amendments to the BC Recycling Regulation.  For this reason, all plant pots must be reported by Recycle BC stewards. This includes plant pots purchased empty (with no plant), plant pots purchased with a plant, tree, shrub, flower or multiple plants meant for transplanting as well as plant pots which are decorative in nature and meant to stay with the flower or plant for the life of that plant. All these are considered a packaging like product and must be reported to Recycle BC.

• For MMSW, MMSM and Stewardship Ontario stewards, designated plant pots are those that contain a plant, tree, shrub, flower or multiple plants and are meant to be transplanted shortly after purchase. These types of non-decorative containers provide only temporary packaging for plants and should be reported by the resident grower or company that fills the pots or plant containers – this may be the first importer or may be a retailer that has rebranded the plant container.  

• Non-designated plant pots are decorative in nature and are meant to stay with the flower or plant for the life of that plant (this applies to indoor and outdoor plants) and should not be reported by the steward. 

Dual use plant packaging is defined as: a particular plant pot format designed to either remain with the plant throughout its entire life or to temporarily package plants prior to being repotted or planted. Such packaging is considered to be “dual use plant packaging”. All dual-use plant packaging supplied with a living perennial plant is designated regardless of whether or not the pot/holder remains with the plant throughout its entire life.