Call2Recycle® announces their approval by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, for a five-year term as the stewardship organization for the Vermont primary (non-rechargeable) battery recycling program. The approved partnership will enable Vermonters to continue recycling their primary batteries free of charge.
Vermont established the nation’s first primary battery recycling program in 2015 with the signing of Act 139. In 2016, Call2Recycle became the state’s official partner providing collection, management and recycling of primary batteries. Since the program’s launch, Vermonters have recycled more than 450,000 pounds of primary batteries, mostly comprised of alkaline and lithium-primary chemistries.
As part of a sustainable economy, batteries are collected, sorted and processed by chemistry. The elemental metals in batteries are extracted and used in the manufacturing of new products, including asphalt, sunscreen and stainless steel products. Responsibly managing batteries at their end-of-life is not only good for the environment, but also keeps them out of the garbage where they can overheat or short circuit and cause fires that could endanger individuals and surrounding property.