Call2Recycle recycles 8.4M pounds of batteries in 2020

To celebrate National Battery Day Feb. 18, Call2Recycle says it wants to celebrate the 8.4 million pounds of batteries that its collection partners, stewards and consumers recycled throughout the U.S. in 2020. This marks an 11 percent increase from what it recycled in 2019. 

Call2Recycle is an Atlanta-based consumer battery stewardship and recycling program.

Call2Recycle reports that there was concern that battery recycling levels could decrease in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent Ipsos survey that Call2Recycle commissioned, consumer recycling trends remained robust in 2020, mirroring each other on the East and West coasts. Call2Recycle says more than half of respondents in Vermont and California reported they recycled all or some of their batteries in 2020, while more than 40 percent of respondents were storing all or some of their consumer batteries for a future recycling trip.

According to a news release from Call2Recycle on these latest figures, the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders affected the organization's rechargeable battery collections, which declined 10 percent from 2019. However, Call2Recycle says, its total volume of batteries collected led to higher numbers, surpassing its record collections set in 2017. The program reports that the increased usage and handling of batteries in 2020 places “an even greater need for consumers to understand the safety and environmental risks associated with improperly managing batteries at their end of life.” The program plans to expand its awareness and education efforts and diverse service and solution offerings to help prevent battery safety incidents and motivate consumers to take responsible action.

In 2020, Call2Recycle says it noticed a surge in its partners’ commitment to recycle primary batteries, with 3.2 million pounds of primary batteries collected, a growth of 77 percent compared with 2019. Other sectors that contributed to battery collection growth included retailers with more than 2.3 million pounds, battery manufacturers with 1.8 million pounds and health care with 145,000 pounds.

“Achieving record-breaking collection numbers during a global pandemic is a testament to our incredible stewards and program partners,” says Leo Raudys, CEO and president of Call2Recycle. “We are exceedingly thankful to everyone involved in our program who helped make the year a success particularly during such a difficult time.”