It’s not a tax. It’s a fee. Starting on July 1st besides the new HST consumers are paying a new charge, an “eco-fee” on some products deemed to be hazardous or special waste.
Batteries, light bulbs, prescription drugs, cement, aerosol spray cans, drain cleaner, and fire extinguishers, are among the offending products. Find the complete list here. https://makethedrop.ca/
The fee has come as a surprise to most consumers. Where was the marketing effort to notify us?
The eco-fee is a charge based on the cost of responsibly recycling the product. The manufacture, given the choice of rolling this into their price or having the retailer collect it at the till, have chosen the later. Either way, the consumer pays.
