Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Andrea Horwath says that the province's new "eco-fees", which went into effect July 1, 2010, should be the responsibility of the companies that produce hazardous materials and not consumers.
"Once again, the McGuinty [Ontario] Government is forcing families to take on increased costs and their well-connected friends are getting a break," said Horwath in a release. "This fiasco has once again made it obvious that industry can't regulate itself. The companies that produce this waste should be responsible for getting rid of it -- instead of being allowed to pass the buck to their customers.
Horwath is also calling for an independent body to replace Stewardship Ontario, the agency regulating the eco-fees.
Stewardship Ontario has mandated manufacturers and retailers to pay the province for recycling their products, but some are passing those costs onto consumers.
"It should come as no surprise that the self-regulating organization [Stewardship Ontario] gave a carte blanche to producers and retailers to slap surprise fees at the checkout and nail consumers," said Horwath.
The eco-fees were introduced to ensure that products are collected and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
The fees add charges -- ranging from a few cents to several dollars -- to thousands of products, including light bulbs, batteries, fire extinguishers, dish soap and paint.
Ontario Ombudsman André Marin is looking into whether the design and implementation of the controversial fees should be investigated.