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RBRC recognizes community programs in Seattle, Sarasota, Kansas City and Westmorland-Alberta for their leadership in recycling rechargeable batteries

ATLANTA, October 1, 2003 – The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries, announced today the recipients of its third annual “Community Recycling Leadership Award.” This award recognizes RBRC community program participants for their outstanding efforts in rechargeable battery recycling. Each year, one community program is awarded the National Leadership Award and three programs receive the Regional Leadership Award.

2003 National Community Recycling Leadership Award Recipient

The City of Seattle was presented the National Leadership Award on October 1, 2003, at a luncheon at the new City Hall attended by City of Seattle employees most responsible for recycling.

The City of Seattle has been part of the RBRC community recycling program since 2000. In 2002 they collected a total of 1,371 pounds of rechargeable batteries – a five percent increase from 2001.

“Seattle has one of the highest recycling rates in the nation, and I’m proud that city departments are doing their part to maintain our leadership in recycling,” said City of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. “Recycling in Seattle saved the city, and therefore citizens, tens of millions of dollars since 1989. And that’s in addition to the benefits to the environment.”

The City of Seattle program receives special recognition for their efforts to educate community members about the importance, and ease, of recycling rechargeable batteries.

Examples of initiatives include:

• Highlighting the RBRC program on their Web site [http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/resrecy/recycling/battery.shtml] and through brochures and other educational material;
• Educating residents about the difference types of rechargeable batteries that can be recycled
• Directing residents to retail drop off sites on their web site and provides a hyperlink to the RBRC site locator
• Developing creative ways to inform the community about rechargeable battery recycling including placement of the RBRC battery lesson plan on their Web site.

2003 Regional Community Recycling Leadership Award Recipients

Community recycling programs in Sarasota, Florida, Kansas City, Missouri and Westmorland Alberta were awarded RBRC’s Regional Recycling Leadership Awards:

Sarasota County Hazardous Waste Management, Sarasota, Florida:
Sarasota County Hazardous Waste Management has been an RBRC program participant since May 1997, and has had battery recycling drop off locations throughout the community since April 2000. Special initiatives include:

• Signing up over 100 different locations where community members can drop off their used rechargeable batteries;
• Collecting over 8,500 pounds of rechargeable batteries since joining the program. Collecting 2,840 pounds of rechargeable batteries in 2002 alone;
• Including collection of used rechargeable batteries during special household hazardous waste collections with the county’s mobile collection unit, and also at the county’s two Chemical Collection Centers.

Kansas City Household Hazardous Waste Management Program, Kansas City, Missouri:
Enrolled in the RBRC program since April 2000, the Kansas City Household Hazardous Waste Management Program efforts to educate community members and collect used rechargeables have included:

• Collecting over 1,500 pounds of rechargeable batteries;
• Operating mobile collection events for electronics products throughout the year and incorporating rechargeable battery drop off boxes at such events.

Westmorland-Alberta Solid Waste Corporation, New Brunswick, Canada:

• First community in Canada to enroll in RBRC program
• Collecting more than 1,400 pounds of rechargeable batteries
• Encouraged 14 fire departments to enroll in the RBRC Public Agency program
• Designated April 21 as Rechargeable Battery Recycling Day
• Online community calendar includes RBRC listing

“The success of the RBRC program depends largely on our community partners spreading the word and making it easy for residents to recycle their rechargeable batteries,” said Ralph Millard, Executive Vice President, RBRC. “In 2002, RBRC collected nearly 3.4 million pounds of rechargeable batteries –in large part due to the efforts of our community programs making it easy to recycle rechargeable batteries.”

The RBRC rechargeable battery recycling program is available to communities and public agencies without any associated fees. Since 2001, over 350 programs have signed on to recycle rechargeable batteries in their local communities, bringing the total number of participants to over 950 in the U.S. and Canada. For more information on implementing a community recycling program, contact RBRC toll free at 877-723-1297 or go to www.rbrc.org.

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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.