Environmental Leader

To help increase the recycling of batteries used in portable power tools, DeWalt, a leading manufacturer of industrial power tools, has announced that April is National Power Tool Battery Recycling Month. During the month of April, users who recycle any power tool battery at one of Dewalt’s 87 service centers will receive a $10 discount on battery purchases.

DeWalt hosted its first recycling program in October 2008 and collected more than 23,500 pounds of rechargeable batteries. Users can recycle nickel cadmium (Ni-Cad), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) and lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries from any battery manufacturer at any of the 87 service centers.

Non-profit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) will collect the batteries and recycle them for future use through its Call2Recycle Program. Last year, RBRC reported a twelve percent increase in collection numbers with more than 6.3 million pounds of rechargeable batteries recycled through its Call2Reycle program.

Other battery recycling programs were announced in honor of Earth Day, on April 22, targeted at lead-acid battery recycling.

The Ledger-Enquirer newspaper reported that Interstate Batteries, in Columbus, Georgia, is encouraging local residents to drop off their lead-acid batteries to be recycled. As part of its Great Battery Round-up, AAA Colorado is sponsoring a battery recycling effort from April 22-25 to promote the recycling of car batteries, reported Denver’s YourHub.com.