New Mobile App Turns Used Batteries into Funding for Environmental Charities

Added by KJ Mullins on October 17, 2012.
Saved under Ontario

Stewardship Ontario Challenges Ontarians to Help Reach Goal of 50,000 Batteries Collected before we Turn Back the Clock

Infographic – a visual graph of Why Every Battery Counts (CNW Group/Stewardship Ontario)

TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2012 /CNW/ – As a kick off to Waste Reduction Week, Stewardship Ontario is empowering all Ontarians to make every battery count by encouraging participation in a battery drive to benefit environmental charities in Ontario.  Ontarians are encouraged to find their nearest drop-off location using a new mobile appthat enables them to record their participation and choose either EcoSpark or Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre as the recipient of a donation.  These charities were chosen for their efforts in preserving Ontario’s natural resources and helping to reinforce the positive environmental impact of proper battery disposal.

Stewardship Ontario will donate $0.30 per battery, up to a maximum of $15,000, for drop-offs made before November 4th.

“Ontarians know that switching the clock back an hour means replacing the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and we think this is a perfect time to re-charge our collective thinking on battery recycling,” said Paul Gerard, spokesman for Stewardship Ontario, the private not-for-profit company that runs the Orange Drop program. “Our new mobile app is a win-win for Ontarians, making it easier than ever before to recycle their batteries at one of our over 2,000 locations, protect the environment and help raise money for deserving charities.”

According to a recent poll, nearly all (95 per cent) of Ontarians who currently throw batteries in the trash said they would be somewhat likely to change their ways if it was easier for them to recycle.

During Waste Reduction Week Canadians are encouraged to take action by adopting more environmentally conscious choices, with this year’s theme being “Too Good To Waste”. This certainly holds true for batteries – valuable resources are recovered when they are dropped off for recycling.

To download the app and to find out where to make a drop, visit makethedrop.ca/mobile