Whitby looks at battery recycling

Tag: Dry Battery Cell

Town employees will soon be able to recycle batteries without having to leave the workplace.

On Monday night Operations Committee looked at a report that would allow municipal employees to recycle dry cell, non-rechargeable batteries.

The report is in response to a Region initiative to have a battery-recycling program for all municipal offices in the region. The Region has given the Town five bins to put in municipal offices. Staff has identified seven possible municipal buildings to start the program.

Right now the program will only be offered to municipal employees, said Murray Gale, supervisor of solid waste.

The report said challenges with sorting and material contamination are reasons they are not providing the service to the public.

Mayor Pat Perkins said she hoped that one day this program could be extended to all residents.

The cost for municipalities would be minimal because only a few collection days would be necessary, she said.

"I am looking forward to the day we can have these programs door to door," said the mayor.

The idea originally came from regional council when Pickering mayor Dave Ryan made "an excellent case" for starting a program a few years ago, said Mayor Perkins.

Residents can drop off rechargeable batteries for recycling at participating stores in Whitby. Dry cell batteries can be disposed of at one of the Regional Household Hazardous Waste facilities.