Small-battery recycling comes to BC

“British Columbia is leading the way in promoting environmental stewardship by launching the first government-mandated household battery program in North America,” reported BC Minister of State for Climate Action, John Yap last week.

Beginning July 1st, 2010, residents, businesses and municipalities in BC will be able to recycle all rechargeable and non-rechargeable household batteries, including alkaline, under the province’s Product Stewardship Program.

In partnership with Call2Recycle, nearly 1,500 collection locations across the province have been set up to divert used batteries from local landfills. Since 1997 when the program began, Call2Recycle has collected more than 143,000 kilograms of rechargeable batteries. According to its president and CEO, Carl Smith, “The voluntary battery collection program has been a resounding success and we (the company) are eager to see the response of the public to this newly-expanded program.”

The idea is to make it easier for people to recycle their used batteries where they live and work so drop-off centers are now located in retail establishments, municipalities, businesses and public agencies.

Here is a list of drop-off centers in the North Okanagan / Shuswap area:

Salmon Arm:

• Interior Telecom Mobility – 40 Lakeshore N.E. – 250-833-8848
• Pharmasave – 270 Hudson Ave. – 250-832-2111
• Tac Mobility – 40 Lakeshore Dr. N.E. – 250-833-1868
• Canadian Tire – 2090 10th St. S.W. – 604-832-9600
• The Source – 1151 10th Ave. S.W. Unit 119 – 250-832-4055
• Denbil Enterprises Ltd. – 5270 Auto Rd. S.E. – 250-832-2545

Scotch Creek:

• Rona – 3838 Squilax Anglemont –250-955-2119

Vernon:

• The Source – 4900 27th St. Unit 790 – 604-260-6688
• London Drugs – 440 32 St. 250-549-1551
• Vernon & District Assn. For Community Living – 4240 Alexis Pk. Dr. – 250-542-2374
• Tac Mobility – 3503 32 St. – 250-545-8848
• Vernon Battery Ltd. – 4313 25 Ave. – 250-542-4275
• Vernon Mobile Radio – 740 Waddington Dr. Unit#2 – 250-545-4073
• Rona – 2201 58 Ave. – 250-545-3332
• Battery Direct – 2209A 48 Ave. 250-558-5508
• Interior Communications – 4601 23 St. Unit 1A – 250-542-3861
• Wright & Thorburn Radio Ltd. 2704 45 Ave. Unit #4 – 250-545-1737
• Staples Canada Business Depot – 3202 32 St. – 250-503-3300
• Pharmasave – 3

Call2Recycle, operated by the non-profit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, is the only free battery and cell phone collection program in North America and in the years since they began in 1994, they have established 30,000 recycling drop-off locations across Canada and more than 25 million kilograms of rechargeable batteries have been diverted from local landfills.

For further information about the company, you may visit the website at: http://www.call2recycle.ca or phone 877-2-RECYCLE.

From the company’s website FAQ page:

What types of rechargeable batteries or cell phones can be recycled?

Call2Recycle accepts just about any kind of rechargeable battery, weighing up to 11 lbs or 5 kilogram. The program accepts all cell phones, with or without the cell phone battery.

Do you recycle car batteries?

No. Please contact the car battery manufacturer, battery retailer or auto service center for information on recycling automotive batteries.