Canadians recycled more than 6.8 million kilograms of used batteries in 2024

Call2Recycle will celebrate National Battery Day with the news that Canadians recycled over 6.8 million kilograms of used batteries in 2024 through its Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program - representing a 17 percent increase from the previous year, with year-over-year increases in most provinces, including significant double-digit growth in Ontario and Québec. This milestone also helped Canadians surpass a remarkable cumulative achievement, with more than 50 million kilograms of batteries recycled since 1997.

2024 is the second consecutive year of record-breaking results for Canada's leading battery collection and recycling program. More than 89 percent of Canadians now live within 15 km of a battery recycling drop-off location, making recycling easier and more convenient than ever. These developments have played a key role in the program's continued growth and success.

Canadians embrace the circular economy 

2024 was a pivotal year for the Canadian not-for-profit organization, marking several milestones in its mission to promote battery recycling across Canada. The battery recycling program gained further momentum with the appointment of Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair as the program's national ambassador. Additionally, on July 1, 2024, the organization kicked off a new provincial battery recycling initiative in Nova Scotia. Call2Recycle also encouraged Canadians to ‘Collect, Protect and Drop Off' their batteries through engaging awareness campaigns and introduced North America's first ‘smart' battery containers across its network, improving both the safety and efficiency of the collection process.

"This record-breaking year is a clear reflection of Canadians' ongoing commitment to reducing waste and protecting our environment," says Joe Zenobio, president of Call2Recycle Canada. "It also underscores the power of collaboration. We are deeply grateful to all our partners - industry members, provincial governments, collection sites, and our sorters and processors - for the critical role they play, year after year, in advancing our mission to recover used batteries, reduce our environmental footprint, and support the circular economy."

"Recycling used batteries is an effective and easy way for all of us to help protect our environment," said Christine Sinclair, ambassador of the Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program. "By adopting responsible recycling habits and working together as a team, Canadians are building a sustainable future for generations to come. Let's recycle even more batteries in 2025!"

National Battery Day on February 18 is an annual opportunity to appreciate the important role batteries play in powering our daily lives. It also serves as a reminder to responsibly recycle used batteries at more than 17,000 convenient drop-off locations across Canada, preventing them from ending up in landfills. The components recovered from the batteries collected and recycled are reclaimed for future use.