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

ATLANTA, October 21, 2003 – The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries, presented the Sarasota County Hazardous Waste Management program with its 2003 “Regional Community Recycling Leadership Award” at today’s Sarasota Board of County Commissioners meeting.

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 at the county’s two chemical collection centers.

“We are honored to be recognized on behalf of our entire community,” said Lois Rose, Hazardous Waste Management Supervisor. “Our mission is to provide environmentally friendly and easy ways for our residents to recycle overall – the RBRC program is a simple and free way that they can recycle rechargeable batteries.”

“The RBRC program succeeds largely due to the work of community partners like Sarasota County, that spread the word and make it simple for residents to recycle rechargeable batteries,” said Ralph Millard, Executive Vice President, RBRC. “Through their hard work, over 100 locations have been established where they can go to drop off rechargeable batteries.”

The RBRC Community Recycling Leadership 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. The City of Seattle was given the National Leadership Award and the Kansas City Household Hazardous Waste Management Program and the Westmorland-Alberta Solid Waste Corporation were also recognized with the Community Recycling Regional Leadership Award.

The RBRC rechargeable battery recycling program is available to communities and public agencies without any associated fees. Since 2001, over 350 local communities 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.