Cambridgeshire, which was recently named as one of the best county councils in England for recycling with a recycling rate of 29%, has added battery collection banks at all 10 of its recycling centres.
” The fact that there is now an outlet for the batteries is one of the main reasons that we have started to offer these collections “
– Mark Shelton, recycling manager at Cambridgeshire county council
Mark Shelton, the county's recycling manager, explained: “We can collect any size battery from our banks, from television remote batteries through to power tool packs, as long as it’s a household battery we can collect it. We have also been collecting car batteries for several years.”
Batteries collected in Cambridgeshire are being sent to Wolverhampton-based reprocessor G&P; Batteries. Mr Shelton said the availability of battery recycling services was a key driver for the council to provide collections.
He said: “The fact that there is now an outlet for the batteries is one of the main reasons that we have started to offer these collections. That alongside public pressure – it seems that all our residents wanted to know why we didn't collect batteries.”
G&P; Batteries now receives household batteries from over 100 councils in England, with managing director Michael Green keen for new councils to start collecting.
Directive
But, while a new Battery Directive is moving through the corridors of the European Union (see letsrecycle.com battery recycling section), Mr Green said that there is a real need for such legislation to provide funding for battery collections.
He said: “Interest in the collection of batteries is certainly growing with local authorities and other organisations. There is still a definite need for legislation to be put in place though to cover the cost of collecting them. Some councils will not be able to meet the costs without the legislative help.”
G&P; Batteries is set to unveil a new battery recycling facility at West Bromwich in March, which will be capable of processing 1,500 tonnes of batteries each year.
Lancashire
Meanwhile, another council that already sends batteries to G&P; for recycling – Lancashire – has signed up 100 primary schools to a new battery recycling campaign.
 Cllr Alan Whittaker with pupils from Trinity and St. Michael's primary school and the battery recycling pirate |
The project encourages children to bring in flat batteries from home and recycle them at school. The schools are given two clear tubes to collect the batteries in and each full tube is worth 20 to the school.
So far two tonnes of batteries have been collected, including 1,000 batteries collected by Trinity and St. Michael's primary school in Chorley.
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