Recycling Batteries Making Progress in US and Canada

Canadian news has reported that the RBRC, The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, has just announced a report showing there has been a twelve percent increase in recycling rechargeable batteries in the U.S. and Canada through the Call2Recycle program. With more than 6 million pounds (2.8 million kilograms) of rechargeable batteries recycled in the U.S. and Canada, the RBRC is making strides to help show our societies the simplicity of recycling used batteries.

Call2Recycle is considered by many as the most comprehensive nationwide program dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries and cell phones. It helps make the process of recycling much simpler by providing information on where one can take the batteries and cell phones that need to be recycled. They provide a very valuable service to people who are aware of the consequences of not recycling.

Call2Recycle shows where to recycle rechargeable batteries found in cordless electronic products including two-way radios, cordless and cellular phones, cordless power tools, digital cameras and camcorders, as well as laptop computers.

Doug Smith, Chairman of the RBRC Board of Directors and Director of Corporate Environmental Affairs for Sony Electronics stated on CNW TELBEC, a Canadian news service, “Additional factors such as state and local legislation and grassroots involvement have helped boost overall environmental awareness and underscore the importance of rechargeable battery recycling.”

RBRC is working with cities in both the U.S. and Canada to encourage local businesses and organizations to actively collect and recycle used batteries. Initiatives and incentives are being presented in different forms to bring awareness and simplicity to recycling.

The “New York City Rechargeable Battery Law” went into effect on December 1, 2006, prohibiting the disposal of rechargeable batteries and requiring all NYC retailers who sell new batteries to also collect used ones. There are more than 300 Call2Recycle locations in NYC alone, making RBRC a leader in the solution to help local retailers comply with the new law and offer a way to recycle batteries free of charge.

RBRC is celebrating its ten-year anniversary in Canada where there are more than 7,000 collection locations nationwide participating in the Call2Recycle program.

Battery collection percentage rates in both the U.S. and Canada have increased steadily and will continue to do so as we find recycling as not only a necessity, but also a process that is fairly simple and not too inconvenient. We, as rechargeable power consumers, now have a way to clean up our used batteries as we go about our daily lives and continue to enjoy the benefits of portable power.

POWER YOUR ROAD!