The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department’s Hazardous Waste Program was recently awarded the 2017 Call2Recycle Leader in Sustainability Award, which recognizes top-performing Call2Recycle program participants for their commitment to battery recycling.
Call2Recycle is North America’s first and largest consumer battery stewardship and recycling program. Through the Hazardous Waste Program’s involvement and collections support, the Call2Recycle program diverted eight million pounds of batteries from U.S. landfills in 2017. This year marks Alachua County’s second time receiving the award.
“We value Alachua County’s Hazardous Waste Program’s partnership and engagement with battery recycling, which is making a difference in sustaining the environment,” said Call2Recycle, Inc. CEO and President Carl Smith. “This award honors Alachua County’s commitment to driving battery recycling awareness and collections.”
When batteries can no longer hold a charge, they can and should be recycled. Recycling batteries keep potentially hazardous materials from harming the planet, protects against fires by keeping them out of the waste stream, and conserves natural resources.
The Hazardous Waste Program collected over 11,000 pounds of batteries in 2017 through the Call2Recycle program. They have recycled over 100,000 pounds since Alachua County first partnered with Call2Recycle over 20 years ago.
“We are very pleased to have been recognized by Call2Recycle as a leader in sustainability,” said Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Hazardous Waste Coordinator Kurt Seaburg. “It demonstrates the strong commitment to recycling and Alachua County residents’ heightened awareness of proper disposal methods and environmental stewardship.”
For more information, contact Kurt Seaburg at 352-334-0440 or kurt@alachuacounty.us.