NEWS RELEASE
COUNTY OF SIMCOE
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The County of Simcoe and Call2Recycle Canada, Canada’s leading battery collection and recycling organization, are proud to announce a milestone in battery recycling and sustainable waste management.
The County of Simcoe collected over 50,000 kilograms — the equivalent weight of 30 cars — through its Battery Collection Week from Nov. 4 to 7, one of the most successful curbside battery collection events in Canada in the 27-year history of the Call2Recycle program.
Throughout 2024, the County of Simcoe and Call2Recycle have worked together to recycle used batteries, educating the region’s 350,000-plus residents about the benefits of responsible battery recycling practices and making battery recycling more accessible through the county’s five permanent household hazardous waste depots where batteries can be dropped off any time of the year. These efforts culminated during the Battery Collection Week curbside initiative, with the publication of educational materials about battery recycling through the distribution of bags for residents to place their batteries directly at the curb during waste collection, which greatly contributed to the success of this impressive recycling accomplishment.
The County of Simcoe and Call2Recycle Canada have combined efforts since 2020 to support the county’s sustainability objectives, collecting over 225,000 kg of used batteries since the partnership began. Last year, the county was awarded the Leader in Sustainability Award from Call2Recycle for its battery recycling commitment. The county’s achievement demonstrates how communities of any size can come together to make a significant positive impact on the environment by keeping batteries out of landfills. It will serve as an inspiring example for other Ontario communities looking to adopt similar curbside collection initiatives.
“The outstanding battery recycling efforts by the county’s residents demonstrate our community’s strong environmental consciousness,” said Warden Basil Clarke. “On behalf of the County of Simcoe, I could not be more proud of the residents of Simcoe County. This illustrates our dedication to making communities even more responsible, to create a lasting and meaningful environmental impact.”
Joe Zenobio, president of Call2Recycle Canada, declared: “Simcoe County’s exceptional achievement is a powerful environmental success story for Ontarians, as we continue engaging and encouraging other municipalities across the province to adopt similar curbside collection initiatives to help advance Ontario’s waste diversion goals.”
Recycling batteries is a collective responsibility and an essential part of Canada’s effort to reduce its carbon footprint by reusing waste materials. Call2Recycle operates in Ontario as the largest registered battery producer responsibility organization, with almost 3,000 convenient Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! drop-off points in the province easily accessible to over 98 per cent of Ontarians. Residents of Simcoe County and all Canadians interested in recycling their used batteries can locate their nearest battery drop-off points at recycleyourbatteries.ca.
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