LEAD-ACID BATTERIES TOP THE HEAP
The lead-acid battery industry, with help from consumers and retailers, recycled 99.2 percent of used battery lead (or 11.7 billion pounds of lead) from 1999 to 2003, according to a report issued by Battery Council International (BCI), Chicago.
The data confirms that the lead-acid battery remains the nation’s most highly recycled consumer product, ahead of steel cans, next in line with a recycling rate of 60 percent in 2003, according to the U.S. EPA.
"This high recycling rate for battery lead is the result of a successful collaboration among members of the battery industry, retailers and consumers," Randy Hart, president of BCI, says. "It proves that a workable infrastructure helps boost consumers’ participation in recycling."
Battery Council International, a non-profit organization that represents the international lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling industry, has tracked the lead recycling rate from used automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, garden tractor, industrial and other lead-acid batteries since 1987.
"The lead-acid battery recycling structure has been proven to be efficient and highly successful, and no other battery chemistry comes near the recycling rate of lead-acid batteries," Hart says.
Along with the lead and plastic from used batteries, lead-acid battery recyclers also reclaim scrap lead from the production process.
CHECKING OUT RECYCLED CONTENT
Office supplies retailer Office Depot, Delray Beach, Fla., has announced that 65 percent of its 2004 U.S. paper sales came from recycled paper—a 373 percent increase from 2003.
Office Depot also reported that the average annual post-consumer recycled content of all paper it sold in the United States last year climbed by nearly 125 percent.
During 2004, 65.3 percent of Office Depot’s total U.S. retail, contract business and commercial paper sales contained post-consumer recycled content. In addition, the average post-consumer recycled content (total weight of recycled fiber as a percent of total paper weight) of paper sold across all U.S. channels reached 10.5 percent, a 4.5 percent increase from 2003 figures.
"We are thrilled to report that nearly two of every three sheets of paper sold in the United States by Office Depot last year contained recycled content," Tyler Elm, Office Depot’s director of environmental affairs, says. "With paper being the most ubiquitous single office product, the sales effect of recycled stock is a significant benchmark of our corporate commitment to promoting environmentally-sensitive products."
CASHING IN ON CANS
Novelis and the U.S. Conference of Mayors are challenging cities across the nation to recycle aluminum beverage cans through its annual national Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge.
Launched at the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in June, the City Recycling Challenge will award eight $5,000 prizes to participating municipalities for furthering aluminum can recycling efforts.
More than 50 cities participated in the 2004 Cans for Cash challenge, resulting in the collection and recycling of more than 60 million aluminum cans.
"Participation in the Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge helps increase awareness of recycling and reminds everyone to recycle aluminum cans, which could bring extra dollars into the city," Mayor and President of the United States Conference of Mayors Beverly O’Neill says. "We look forward to seeing once again what cities can do to promote recycling in their communities."
The contest is divided into four divisions based on population. Awards will be given out for the most aluminum beverage cans collected in the two-week period, Sept. 1 through Sept. 16, 2005. In addition, cities also have the chance to win an award in their division for having the most innovative ideas to promote aluminum beverage can recycling.
Explore the August 2005 Issue
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