Fee-based all-battery offering is boosting collections across North America

United States/Canada – North America’s largest consumer battery stewardship and recycling programme Call2Recycle has reported that its partners, stewards and collection sites recycled approaching 6300 tonnes of batteries throughout the USA and Canada last year, taking the total to 65 000 tonnes since the non-profit organisation was founded in 1994.

Call2Recycle recycled an estimated 14 million pounds (6.3 million kg) of end-of-life batteries in America and Canada last year.

In the USA, collections of rechargeable and primary batteries amounted to 3600 tonnes last year, with growth helped by the introduction of a fee-based all-battery offering. Meanwhile, Canadian consumers collected 2600 tonnes, a figure similar to that for previous years; Quebec is said by Call2Recycle to have ‘led the charge’ in battery collections with a total of more than 1000 tonnes.

More than 86% of residents in the USA and Canada live within 10 miles (16 km) of a Call2Recycle public drop-off point. It is hoped that consumers will support National Battery Day on 18 February by handing in their stowaway batteries.

Joe Zenobio, president for Call2Recycle Canada, says that 2017 included ‘substantial investments’ in both consumer accessibility and awareness efforts across Canada. ‘Through these investments and in partnership with our committed members and collection sites, we look forward to seeing collections grow in 2018,’ he comments.