Durham Region’s annual fall curbside battery collection is scheduled for October 5 to 9, on each household’s regular Green Bin collection day. The program applies to households that receive curbside collection service. Residents should place used household batteries in a clear, sealable plastic bag on top of their closed green bin.
The Region says up to 92 per cent of battery components can be recycled or recovered. Since the program’s first collection in November 2012, residents have diverted more than 544 tonnes (1,199,623 pounds) of household batteries from the waste stream. The Region says the collection can help prevent mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals from entering the environment.
The Region warns residents never to put batteries in garbage or the blue box because lithium batteries can ignite if crushed in a garbage truck or material recovery equipment. The Region also says not to mix alkaline, lithium, NiMH and lead-acid batteries and recommends keeping them in a cool, dry place away from heat, sunlight and moisture. Batteries should be kept in plastic or cardboard rather than metal containers, out of reach of young children, with exposed terminals on lithium, nine-volt and other batteries covered in non-conductive tape.
The Region says damaged lithium batteries need special handling and warns residents not to touch leaking or swollen batteries. If corrosion or white powder is visible, the source advises using gloves and eye protection. The Region recommends isolating the battery in a plastic bag or placing it in a cardboard box with sand or kitty litter, then taking it to a waste management facility.
Residents who miss their collection can drop off household batteries free of charge year-round at a waste management facility operated by the Region or find nearby retail drop-off points through RecycleYourBatteries.ca. More information is available at durham.ca/Battery.
Source: Region of Durham news releases — https://www.durham.ca/news/posts/take-part-in-curbside-battery-collection-during-the-week-of-october-5
