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The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) Releases Survey Results of “This Old House” Readers

ATLANTA, November 21, 2006 –In a recent survey conducted amongst This Old House readers by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to rechargeable battery and cellphone recycling, over half of the respondents (57%) surveyed said they already recycle their used rechargeable batteries found in their homes.

The survey, conducted online to more than 53,000 This Old House readers, was developed to learn more about the recycling habits of Do-it-Yourself homeowners. In addition to already practicing responsible recycling, more than half of the respondents also reported that they were aware that local retailers such as Circuit City, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears offer a free recycling program for used rechargeable batteries.

“While we were encouraged to find that over half of those surveyed are not throwing away their used rechargeable batteries, we are hopeful that more people will take advantage of recycling them through our Call2Recycle™ program,” said Ralph Millard, Executive Vice President of RBRC. “RBRC’s goal is to spread the word about our Call2Recycle program so that all consumers can clear their homes of their used rechargeable batteries, and do the right thing for the environment at the same time.”

Not surprising, the survey also found that the majority of respondents (72%) own an average of one to five cordless power tools. The truly handy, or 11 percent, reported that they own six to ten cordless tools. Sixty-six percent named the cordless drill as the cordless power tool that they could not live without.

Other popular cordless tools included screwdrivers and saws. The cordless nailer was the least popular, with only 4 percent listing it as their favorite tool. And over half of the respondents said that men (fathers and husbands) are still considered “the handiest” in the home.

“As the popularity of cordless power tools continues to increase amongst homeowners, so does the need for options to recycle the rechargeable batteries found in these products,” said Millard. “Our program, Call2Recycle, is set up to make recycling the rechargeable batteries found in cordless products easy and convenient for all consumers.”

RBRC’s Call2Recycle program offers a free and easy solution for all consumers to locate participating retail stores in their area to drop off used rechargeable batteries by simply visiting their Web site at www.call2recycle.org or by calling toll free 877-2-RECYCLE.

Since 1996, the nonprofit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) has collected and recycled over 35 million pounds of rechargeable batteries in the U.S. and Canada.

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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.