Call2Recycle Canada reports battery recycling increase in 2024

Battery collection and recycling organization Call2Recycle Canada, Toronto, has announced that Canadians recycled more than 6.8 million kilograms of used batteries in 2024 through its “Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!” program.

The number represents a 17 percent increase from the previous year, with year-over-year increases in most provinces, including double-digit growth in Ontario and Quebec. Call2Recycle says this milestone also helped Canadians surpass a cumulative achievement, with more than 50 million kilograms of batteries recycled since 1997.

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The organization says 2024 marked the second consecutive year of record-breaking results for its program, adding that more than 89 percent of Canadians now live within 15 kilometers of a “Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!” drop-off location—a key factor in the program’s continued growth.

Last year, Call2Recycle Canada launched its “Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!” program and later appointed Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair to serve as the program’s national ambassador. Last July, the organization kicked off a new provincial battery recycling initiative in Nova Scotia, while also encouraging Canadians to collect, protect and drop off their batteries through awareness campaigns. It also introduced smart battery containers across its network in an effort to improve 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,” organization President Joe Zenobio says. “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.”

Call2Recycle Canada has established more than 17,000 drop-off locations across the country, and batteries collected and recycled through its programming are reclaimed for future use.