• Alhambra Camera, 121 E. Main St., 626-282-6365
• Alhambra Car Wash, 707 W. Main St., 626-282-5666
• Dat Chong Jewelry Company, 1231 E. Valley Blvd., 626-308-1848
• Main Pharmacy, 103 N. Garfield Ave., Ste. D., 626-576-0890

The four businesses indicated above are among 39 businesses in the San Gabriel Valley that are participating in a pilot program that aims to increase battery recycling. The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) received a $395,966 grant from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) in part to facilitate a pilot recycling program for household batteries. The Call2Recycle® program is paying for all disposal costs associated with the battery recycling. This take-back process reduces costs to the public because battery producers pay for the shipping and recycling.  Furthermore, recycling is more convenient for consumers because local retailers throughout the San Gabriel Valley host collection locations.

Residents can bring any household batteries (rechargeable or alkaline that weigh less than 11 lbs.) and cell phones to the take-back locations. This means that old lithium-ion cell phone and camera batteries along with traditional AAA-D batteries can be brought to the same convenient take-back location. Signs on store windows identify take-back locations.  Customers can turn in their batteries at the marked battery recycling boxes inside the store. Simple instructions on how to safely recycle batteries are located on each take-back box. Full boxes of batteries are mailed to recycling facilities at no charge to the participating businesses.

The state of California banned batteries from disposal in landfills in 2006 because batteries waste valuable metals like zinc and cadmium, which are needed to make new products, particularly electronics.  The presence of batteries in landfills can also degrade soil, leading to groundwater contamination and other environmental hazards.

As part of the grant, the SGVCOG conducted surveys and focus groups and found that less than 60-percent of area residents were aware of the 2006 California law banning trash disposal of batteries. Additionally, of those who were aware of the ban, 56 percent still throw batteries in the trash citing that battery disposal is not simple or convenient. This project was designed to address this concern by making battery recycling much more convenient. Facilitators say this project could be a model for a future state or nationwide battery recycling program.

For more information about the battery recycling program or to find a take-back location near you go to www.SGVCOG.org/batteryrecycling or contact Nicholas Conway, SGVCOG Executive Director at (626) 457-1800. To learn more about extended producer responsibility or California Product Stewardship Council go to www.calpsc.org or contact Heidi Sanborn, CPSC Executive Director at (916) 480-9010. For more information about CalRecycle go to www.calrecycle.ca.gov.