In 2010, Call2Recycle– a North American free battery and cell phone collection program–reports that it collected 6.7 million pounds of rechargeable batteries for recycling, a 10.1% increase over 2009.
The company’s president and CEO, Carl Smith, believes the spike is due to “a heightened awareness” among industries and the public at large concerning of the importance of recycling–especially in Canada, where new legislation in two provinces has set new recycling requirements that allowed Call2Recycle to “include the collection of all household batteries.”
British Columbia’s total collections, noted Call2Recycle, increased by nearly 420 percent, with more than 43,000 kilograms of rechargeable batteries and slightly more than 96,000 kilograms of primary batteries collected in the province. In Ontario, battery recycling efforts increased by 59 percent, with collections of more than 139,000 kilograms of rechargeables and more than 75,000 kilograms of primary batteries.
image via Energizer
In the U.S., Call2Recycle’s collection sites in California, Texas and Florida led the way with the largest number of rechargeable batteries recycled (weighing in at 932,882 pounds, 530,582 pounds and 373,802 pounds, respectively). Throughout North America, rechargeable battery recycling by healthcare and government agencies saw a 106 and 32% increase in battery recyclin g,respectively, and consumer battery recycling efforts through retailers and communities increased by 17%.
Call2Recycle, through a network of more than 30,000 retail, municipal and business partners, says that, since 1994, it has diverted more than 60 million pounds (27 million kilograms) of rechargeable batteries from local landfills.
