Call2Recycle® has awarded us their Leader in Sustainability Award for 2023 for our battery recycling.
“Each year, Canadians recycle more and more of their used batteries with Call2Recycle thanks to the ongoing partnership of organizations like Manitoba Hydro,” said Joe Zenobio, President of Call2Recycle Canada, Inc. “This partnership speaks to a real commitment to sustainability and makes a significant difference. The support we receive from Manitoba Hydro helps us achieve our mission of maximizing battery diversion from the waste stream, which in turn protects wildlife, the environment, and our communities.”
Since it was founded in 1997, the Call2Recycle program has collected and recycled more than 45 million kilograms of batteries from across Canada.
In 2023, our Waverley Service Centre collected 2,475 kilograms (kg) of batteries from across our operations. Those batteries were part of the almost 6 million batteries diverted from landfills by Call2Recycle in 2023.
As part of our Corporate Recycling Program, smaller batteries are sent to Call2Recycle for disposal and large acid or alkaline batteries, such as station and equipment batteries, are sent to Industrial Metals, a local metal recycling facility.
In 2023, our Waverley Service Centre also collected 31,190 kg of larger, industrial batteries sent for recycling to Industrial Metals.
“Across our organization, batteries of all shapes, sizes and compositions are used daily. When batteries lose their charge, it is important that they are disposed of correctly,” said Nicky Ammeter, Waste Management Coordinator, Manitoba Hydro. “There are valuable metals and chemicals within the batteries that can be recovered and reused.”
“Incorrect storage and disposal can also be hazardous as batteries can leach toxic substances into the environment. Battery terminals that touch metal surfaces or other batteries can spark, causing a fire or explosion.”
Proper disposal and recycling is not only good for the environment, but also prevents safety hazards.