Supervisor Greg Cox, The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) and the Industrial Environmental Association (IEA) Team Up to Educate Consumers About the Importance of Recycling Rechargeable Batteries
SAN DIEGO, April 11, 2007 – With Earth Day less than two weeks away, San Diegans now have one more way to “act green.” The Industrial Environmental Association (IEA) and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) today formally launched an awareness campaign that encourages consumers to recycle their used rechargeable batteries through RBRC‟s Call2Recycle™ program at participating retailers throughout the County of San Diego. San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Greg Cox joined RBRC executives and representatives from the IEA to officially announce the initiative at a press conference at the County Administration Center.
“Participating in the Call2Recycle program is an easy and effective way for people to get involved in Earth Day and protect the environment,” said Cox. “It‟s something I encourage all my fellow San Diegans to do, not just this month, but every month of the year.”
The new advertising campaign, which runs until May 5, 2007 on local television and radio stations, stresses the importance of rechargeable battery recycling and encourages San Diegans to bring their used rechargeable batteries to local participating retailers such as: The Home Depot, Circuit City, Lowe‟s, Best Buy, Sears, Target, RadioShack and others. As an added incentive, the Call2Recycle program also provides a way for San Diegans to comply with the newly enacted California “Universal Waste Law,” which makes it illegal to dispose of what is considered universal waste in common trash receptacles.
“The ‘Universal Waste Law’ is just one of many reasons why San Diegans should answer the Call2Recycle,” said Patti Krebs from the Industrial Environmental Association. “We are happy to play a role in helping spread the word about an easy way for all of us to comply with the legislation while doing the right thing for the environment at the same time.”
“We are pleased that the Industrial Environmental Association has joined us in our efforts to educate consumers about the importance of recycling rechargeable batteries,” said Rich Lockhart, Manager of Marketing Programs for RBRC. “It is through partnerships like these that we can continue to provide a free and easy service, and make it easy and convenient for consumers and businesses to recycle their used rechargeable batteries and old cellphones.”
Consumers looking for more information on how to recycle their used rechargeable batteries and old cellphones are encouraged to call 1-877-2-RECYCLE or visit www.call2recycle.org. San Diegans are encouraged to go through their homes and bring their used rechargeable batteries and old cellphones to a participating retail store. In addition, on April 22, consumers can visit RBRC at the “Cool the Earth” 18th Annual San Diego EarthFair, to learn more about rechargeable battery and cellphone recycling.
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About San Diego County Board of Supervisors action towards “Universal Waste Law”
San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Greg Cox led the effort to work with the cities in the county and the private sector to create a regional public outreach campaign to educate San Diego County residents on the methods to properly dispose of or recycle universal waste.
Fluorescent light bulbs, alarm clocks and batteries are examples of universal waste that are regulated under California‟s Universal waste Rule (California Code of Regulations) which generally states that universal waste may not be discarded in solid waste landfills.
About Industrial Environmental Association (IEA)
The Industrial Environmental Association (IEA) is an organization of manufacturing, technology and research and development companies that promotes sustainable business practices. IEA has effectively worked with numerous companies to support electronic waste recycling events for their employees and communities and now is assisting in outreach to address the universal waste stream.
About Call2Recycle®
Call2Recycle is the industry’s first and only product stewardship program for rechargeable batteries. The nonprofit program is administered by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a public service organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling. There are more than 30,000 Call2Recycle drop-off locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. More than 175 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products show their commitment to conserve natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream by funding the Call2Recycle program. In pursuit of its mission, Call2Recycle also collects old cellphones, which are either recycled or refurbished and resold when possible with a portion of the proceeds benefiting select charities. For more information, call 877-2-RECYCLE or visit www.call2recycle.org.
APR