There is more at stake than you may realize.
And doing your part to help protect both Canada’s environment and the workers in your community is one of the most Canadian things you can do.
When batteries are disposed of improperly, toxic materials can leak into the environment, contaminating groundwater. It’s a concept that Canadians are familiar with.
But what you may not know is that every day across Canada, lithium-ion batteries are being crushed in garbage trucks, causing fires, damaging property and endangering the lives of workers at waste management facilities.
Small decisions can make a big impact
Canadians can make small choices that help solve this growing problem.
From how we manage waste at home to how we dispose of used batteries, these everyday actions can have a meaningful impact on the communities we live in.
“You don’t need to be on the national team to represent Canada. You do it every day with the actions you choose to take,” said Christine Sinclair, Canadian soccer legend and Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! Ambassador.
Think about the batteries we use every day: in TV remotes, wireless mice, toys, flashlights, smoke alarms, power tools, and other household devices. When those batteries reach the end of their life, it’s easy to throw them in the garbage or leave them sitting in a drawer. But if we give it a pause, and choose to responsibly recycle them instead, it helps protect our environment and keeps valuable materials in use.
It’s a small decision, but when Canadians make that choice, it makes a real difference.
Why battery recycling matters
Recycling your used batteries does more than clear out a junk drawer. It helps protect the environment and places Canadians care about most.
When recycling your used batteries, you are helping
- Protect the environment by keeping batteries out of landfills and preventing harmful materials from leaking into the soil and water.
- Avoid fire hazards that can occur when batteries are damaged or improperly disposed of.
- Recover and reuse valuable resources, giving materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel a second life into new products.
- Help keep communities safe, protecting workers, facilities, and neighbourhoods across Canada.
Where do recycled batteries go?
When you recycle your used batteries through Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!, we make sure they are safely and responsibly transported, sorted, processed and recycled. And as a non-profit organization, we ensure that it is done cost-effectively.
First, collected batteries are safely transported to sorting facilities, where they are grouped by type and chemistry. From there, they are sent to specialized recycling plants that recover valuable materials like lithium, cobalt and nickel.
These materials can then be reused to make new products, helping reduce the need for new mining and supporting a circular economy.
Protecting Canada takes a team effort
Protecting our environment – and our communities – is something no one can do alone. It takes all of us working together. From the West Coast to the Atlantic, Canadians across the country all have a role to play. We are all on Team Canada.
