Woolworths has announced it’s rolling out collection units for end-of-life batteries across all of its stores.
Located at the front of stores, the collection units accept all brands of mobile phones, their batteries, chargers and accessories, as well as mobile wireless modems, smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Woolworths has partnered with Mobile Muster and EcoBatt to ensure data destruction on mobile phones and the safe disposal of batteries.
All handheld batteries regardless of type or brand, including button batteries, AAA, AA, A, C, D and 9V can be accepted for collection.
Out of the estimated 345 million handheld and household batteries used every year a staggering 94 percent are not recycled. That’s almost 19 out of every 20 batteries going to waste and creating environmental health problems.
Batteries can’t go into landfill as they emit harmful chemicals into the environment. While they’re a no go in any of your kerbside wheelie bins, they can be dropped off for recycling while you do your grocery shop.
You can also drop these batteries off for recycling at Aldi stores, selected Coles stores, any City of Greater Geelong customer service centre, the Lara Library or Geelong or Drysdale Resource Recovery Centre.
As well as batteries, Woolworths is collecting old mobile phones for recycling.
It is believed that there are 24.5 million unused mobile phones being stored in homes around Australia. Like batteries – and all other e-waste – mobile phones can not be disposed of in landfill.
Dropping your old phones and batteries off for recycling is something small we can all do that will have a big impact in saving valuable resources and keeping hazardous e-waste out of landfill.
