Sustainable Facility - November 2008 - (Page 36)

Recycling Rechargeable Batteries HOW SMALL IMPROVEMENTS CAN ADD UP TO MORE SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS. >> BY CARL SMITH F acility managers are increasingly charged eir with improving their building’s green bottom line. From energy efficiency to LED lighting to electricity consumption, there are arrays of improvements that a facility can e undergo in order to make operaile tions more sustainable. While esome may be costly to implele ment, recycling rechargeable obatteries is an easy step to’s ward lessening a facility’s t. impact on the environment. wRechargeable batteries powe er many common portable y tools and devices used by eemployees and in the maintenance of facilities. re Rechargeable batteries are e a dependable power source for ts portable electronic products such as laptop rdless computers, cell phones, cordless power tools, PDAs and hargeable Blackberries. A typical rechargeable battery can be recharged as h many as 1,000 times, which makes it an eco-friendly power choice oper from the start. However, proper disposal of rechargeable batteries e is critical to maintaining the environmental integrity of this choice. Once rechargeable batteries lose their charge, they can and should own be recycled, rather than thrown away in the trash where they wind up in landfills. le Through its Call2Recycle program, the Rechargeable Battery BRC) Recycling Corporation (RBRC) provides a solution for recycling used rechargeable batteries that makes it simple, convenient — and most importantly, free — for facilities to participate in the recycling process. RBRC is a nonprofit, public service organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling, and its Call2Recycle program is the most comprehensive nationwide rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling solution. By joining the more than 50,000 retailers, businesses and communities already enrolled in Call2Recycle, your facility can begin recycling rechargeable batteries easily and without any expense. The small effort of preventing rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream helps facility managers demonstrate a commitment to conservation and strengthen the sustainability of their operations. P R OGRAM PROGRAM DETAILS There is no cost to participate in the Call2Recycle program — everything from enrollment to the collection containers, freight, processing and actual recycling is free. RBRC assists with the implementation and continual management of the program and provides streamlined procedures for returning the recovered batteries to the recycling facility. It is as simple as depositing used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones into an on-site Call2Recycle collection box with a pre-paid postage label, and returning the box to the recycling facility when it’s full. Facility managers can track the success and viability of their recycling efforts with the help of RBRC’s collection reports. With detailed reports on the quantity of boxes shipped, the battery weights and chemistries recycled by each location and collection results for specific time periods, a facility can evaluate the program’s contribution to the environmental bottom line. RBRC’s Call2Recycle program accepts Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Nickel Zinc (Ni-Zn) and Lithium Ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries of any size, as well as Small Sealed Lead (Pb) weighing up to two pounds. Funded by more than 350 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products, RBRC’s public education campaign and recycling program is the result of the rechargeable power industry’s commitment to conserve natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream. SF For more information on enrolling in RBRC’s Call2Recycle program, visit www.call2recycle.org or call toll-free 877-2-RECYCLE. Carl Smith is CEO of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC). The small effort of preventing rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream helps facility managers demonstrate a commitment to conservation and strengthen the sustainability of their operations. 36 S U S TA I N A B L E F A C I L I T Y NOVE M B E R 2008 http://www.call2recycle.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Facility - November 2008

Sustainable Facility - November 2008 Contents Editorial Industry Watch Web TOC New and Notable The Case for Daytime Cleaning Commitment to Energy Effi ciency and Sustainability Finding the Green Solar for the Commercial and Industrial Sector: What’s Hot Now? Connecting Sustainability and Green Cleaning Recycling Rechargeable Batteries Sharing Best Practices The Consultant Conundrum Sharing the Facilities Management Burden The Building Owner’s and Operator’s Sustainability Solution: Energy Audits Greenbuild: Green Product Buzz Guide Product Focus Marketplace and Classifieds Advertiser’s Index Initiatives

Sustainable Facility - November 2008

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