The amount of rechargeable batteries recycled through the program is equivalent to the weight of around 5,000 elephants.
Through ongoing initiatives with retail and community partners, grassroots community efforts, and the support for recycling legislation at the state and municipal level, Call2Recycle has steadily grown its annual collections over the past 15 years and spread the rechargeable battery recycling message to consumers nationwide.
“We are proud of this achievement, which has benefited the environment by keeping more than 50 million pounds of rechargeable batteries out of landfills and the solid waste stream. This success is a testament to the admirable efforts of our partners, whose ongoing support and championing of Call2Recycle has been instrumental in raising consumer awareness and encouraging participation,” said Carl Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC). “As product stewardship legislation and e-waste trends continue to be at the forefront of green initiatives, Call2Recycle will remain committed to ongoing education efforts that encourage consumers and businesses to reduce the environmental impact of their waste.”
The program scope has grown over the last 15 years to encompass new battery chemistries and devices. Recognizing that consumers are upgrading their devices at an accelerated rate, Call2Recycle started accepting old cell phones in 2004 to ensure that the batteries they contain are properly recycled. The program further expanded last year by accepting a new battery chemistry – for the first time in seven years – and now collects nickel zinc rechargeable batteries in addition to nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium ion and small sealed lead acid battery chemistries.
Call2Recycle works diligently to strengthen relationships with its partners through grassroots community collection drives and on-site recycling events with retail partners, as well as by publicizing the retailers’ environmental efforts as part of Call2Recycle’s ongoing public awareness campaign. Call2Recycle recognizes community and public agencies that demonstrate exceptional recycling efforts with its Recycling Leadership Awards, awarded annually to leaders in the US and Canada. In addition, as legislation mandating rechargeable battery and/or cell phone recycling has come to pass in recent years in California, Maine and New York City, Call2Recycle has worked with local communities and retailers to provide a free and convenient method of compliance for consumers and businesses alike.
Call2Recycle’s Canadian presence has grown steadily since 1997, as it has worked closely with its Canadian retail and public agency partners to gain support for rechargeable battery recycling. Through public service announcements, education awareness campaigns and a presence at national exhibitions and events, Call2Recycle continues to establish itself as a reliable and effective recycling solution, particularly as product stewardship legislation is emerging in Canada at the provincial level.
