Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR)

The Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR) is a not-for-profit stewardship agency created to implement and operate a stewardship plan for end-of-life major household appliances in the province of British Columbia (BC) on behalf of the major appliance 'producers' who are obligated under the BC Recycling Regulation. The stewardship plan was developed jointly by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers Canada (AHAM Canada) and Retail Council of Canada (RCC) in response to the requirements of the BC Recycling Regulation.

MARR is governed by a Board of Directors of major appliance manufacturers and retailers. The MARR Board includes representatives from Whirlpool Canada, Mabe Canada, Samsung Electronics Canada, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (Canada), the Home Depot Canada, Hudson's Bay Company, Sears Canada and the Retail Council of Canada.The MARR stewardship plan received the approval of BC's Ministry of Environment on June 29, 2012, and today is the only approved stewardship plan for major appliances in the province. The MARR plan is focused on enhancing the performance and transparency of the existing market-based system of collecting and recycling major household appliances in BC.

Consumers - How to Recycle

Recycling System Background:

There is currently a robust market-based recycling system for end-of-life major appliances in British Columbia (BC). This system has operated successfully for decades and is driven principally by the value of metals found in major appliances.

How to Recycle:

A number of collection options are typically available to individuals with major appliances to recycle in BC. For example, many retailers will provide recycling services to their customers for their old major appliance when the new product is delivered. Many local governments (municipalities etc.) provide collection services for major appliances, which may include pick-up or drop-off options. There are also a number of private collection sites that will accept major appliances as scrap metal for drop-off.Please note that many major appliances used for cooling or freezing purposes (refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners) include refrigerants, which can be harmful to the environment and human health if they are not properly handled and disposed of. Individuals should NEVER attempt to extract refrigerant from major appliances, which should only be handled by licensed professionals.

Participants & Sellers - Home

The BC Recycling Regulation:

Major household appliances have been regulated under the British Columbia Recycling Regulation. Under this Regulation the 'producers' of major household appliances (typically first sellers, including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers etc.) are obligated to have an approved stewardship plan, appoint an agency with an approved stewardship plan or comply with Part 3 of the Regulation in order to sell or distribute major household appliances in British Columbia.

The Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR):

The Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR) is a not-for-profit stewardship agency created to implement and operate a stewardship plan for end-of-life major household appliances in the province of British Columbia (BC) on behalf of the major appliance 'producers' who are obligated under the BC Recycling Regulation. The MARR stewardship plan received the approval of BC's Ministry of Environment on June 29, 2012, and today is the only approved stewardship plan for major appliances in the province.

Joining MARR to Comply with the BC Recycling Regulation:

If your company is obligated under the BC Recycling Regulation, registering as a participant of MARR and appointing MARR as your 'agent' by August 1, 2013 enables your business to comply with these requirements. Registration with MARR is also available to companies in the supply chain who are upstream or downstream from the legally obligated party in BC.

Products Covered by MARR:

Major appliances that have been designated for residential use, including dual fuel natural gas or propane products provided the other power source is electricity. Appliances used in or sold for industrial, commercial and/or institutional (IC&I) applications that have the same essential design characteristics as major household appliances, as defined above, are also included. All program products that are used for the purpose of refrigeration or freezing must contain a compressor and/or refrigerant gases. All channels of distribution are captured, including internet/catalog sales.

Collectors & Recyclers - Enhancing the BC Market-Driven Recycling System

The Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable:

The Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR) is a not-for-profit stewardship agency created to implement and operate a stewardship plan for end-of-life major household appliances in the province of British Columbia (BC) on behalf of the major appliance 'producers' who are obligated under the BC Recycling Regulation. The MARR stewardship plan received the approval of BC's Ministry of Environment on June 29, 2012, and today is the only approved stewardship plan for major appliances in the province.

The MARR Approach in BC:

The MARR plan is focused on enhancing the performance and transparency of the existing market-based system of collecting and recycling major household appliances in BC. The plan is designed to achieve the aims of the BC Recycling Regulation within the context of this market-driven system. The existing market-based major appliances recycling system has operated successfully for decades and is driven principally by the value of ferrous and non-ferrous metals found in virtually all major household appliances. The market-driven system has proven its ability to operate successfully and with high levels of performance for decades.

In particular, the MARR stewardship plan includes commitments to:

• Implement a recycling and processing standard and a processor certification and audit program to address the proper decommissioning of substances of concern in end-of-life major appliances
• Work with collectors and recyclers to research and promote best practices to ensure on-going system performance and improvement
• Create a branding and communications program to encourage market participation in the MARR processing standard
• Conduct operational system studies on the operation and performance of the market-driven recycling system
• Establish collection/diversion tracking and reporting systems to assess system performance over time
• Report annually to the BC Ministry of Environment on MARR's progress achieving the commitments outlined above