The study highlights the costs and environmental impacts of different scenarios for achieving a 60% recycling rate of household generated printed materials and packaging recycled through Ontario’s Blue Box program by 2008. MacViro Consultants Inc. and Stewardship Ontario supplied the baseline data for 2003 and the 2008 generation projections for packaging and printed materials as well as the costs for recycling and managing remaining packaging and printed material residues. The IWM computer model, supported by EPIC/CSR and Environment Canada and NRCan, was used to objectively measure the environmental impacts of different recycling scenarios and options for managing the residues remaining. Scenarios were developed that examined a 60% ‘overall’ recycling rate for printed materials and packaging versus a 60% recycling rate for ‘each material category’ of packaging and printed materials. These scenarios also examined directing the residues (i.e. uncaptured Blue Box printed materials and packaging) to landfill, EFW and high efficiency EFW. By using the IWM computer model to analyse the data and projected volumes, stakeholders can obtain a clear picture of the cost and environmental benefits of different recycling strategies.