Saanich recycled 208 kilograms of batteries between October and December 2019.
In Saanich, there are six locations that accept batteries for recycling. Municipal hall, Cedar Hill Golf Course, the fire department and the Pearkes, Commonwealth, Cedar Hill and Gordon Head recreation centres.
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Household batteries cannot be thrown in the garbage as the chemicals they contain can cause landfill fires. Rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries and cellphones need to be recycled.
According to the Capital Regional District (CRD), household batteries make up between 50 and 70 per cent of all heavy metals in landfills globally. Despite the fact that modern batteries are made with fewer toxic metals, they can still contaminate soil and groundwater.
Kelsie McLeod, spokesperson for the District, emphasized that “rechargeable, single-use and cellphone batteries are accepted at Saanich’s battery drop off locations. She also noted the importance of removing personal information from cellphones before recycling them.
Automotive batteries, however, are not accepted as part of Saanich’s program.
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The CRD is also encouraging residents to opt for greener choices when it comes to batteries. Choose rechargeables to reduce the amount of waste or buy electronics to skip the batteries altogether.
For a list of all recycling facilities in Greater Victoria that take batteries, visit the CRD website.
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