Save your batteries! — Peel launches curbside battery collection in March

March 2, 2016 · 0 Comments

Residents should start saving their single-use household batteries and watch for a special bag in their mail over the next week, as the Region of Peel prepares for its first curbside battery collection.
This spring collection — from March 14 to 25 — is the first of two this year in the Region’s new program. The fall collection will occur from Nov. 7 to 18.
“This collection will prevent batteries, which are a household hazardous waste, from going to landfill, and help the Region meet its new 75 per cent waste diversion target,” commented Trevor Barton, the Region’s supervisor of program planning.
Residents can set out single-use household batteries, such as A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt and button cell; and take all other batteries to one of Peel’s six Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) for free year-round drop-off.
“We’re collecting these single-use household batteries because we now have downstream processors who can recycle all of the materials in them as part of the Product Stewardship program,” Barton said.
Once residents receive their special collection bag, they can place their single-use household batteries in the bag, seal it, and place the bag on top of their closed green organics cart for their collection day during their recycling week.
Residents whose bagged waste is picked up at charge piles, and who do not have green organics carts, can place their battery bags beside their recycling bags on their battery collection date.
If residents need additional bags, they can pick them up at any CRC or at one of the Access Peel receptionist desks at 7120 Hurontario St. and 10 Peel Centre Dr. (Suites A and B). Residents can also set out regular zip-locked bags, as these will be picked up.
Residents can visit peelregion.ca/waste to check their battery collection date.
If they miss this collection, they can take their single-use household batteries to any CRC or drop them in any battery drop-off barrel that they will find in various locations across the Region, including libraries, city halls and community centres.