RBRC BACKGROUNDER

About RBRC
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a non-profit, public service organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling. Founded by the rechargeable battery industry in 1994, RBRC’s mission is to promote the recycling of used rechargeable batteries found in many cordless electronic consumer products such as, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, cordless power tools, camcorders, and two-way radios. In pursuit of its mission, RBRC also collects old cell phones. RBRC's public education campaign and rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling program – Call2Recycle^® – is the result of the industry's determination to conserve natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream.

There are over 50,000 retail, business, community, and public agency battery collection locations enrolled in RBRC’s rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling program. RBRC is funded by more than 350 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products. Cell phones collected through the program will be recycled or refurbished and resold when possible with a portion of the proceeds benefiting select charities.

Educational Campaign
RBRC conducts a national public education campaign to generate awareness and enlist support of the Call2Recycle program. Through public service announcements, national advertising, and television appearances by RBRC spokespeople, celebrity Richard Karn, hockey legend Guy Lafleur, and eco-stylist Danny Seo, RBRC’s message reaches a diverse audience.

The Recycling Plans
The Call2Recycle program offers rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling plans for retailers, communities, public agencies, and businesses completely free of charge. RBRC provides all collection containers and collateral materials, and pays all shipping and recycling costs, so there is no cost to participate.

Retail Recycling Plan: Interested retailers who sell cell phones and/or rechargeable batteries and battery-powered products can participate in this simple, convenient recycling plan. More than 40,000 retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada are enrolled in the Call2Recycle program.
Community & Public Agency Recycling Plan: RBRC provides communities and public agencies with information on how to operate a household rechargeable battery and cell phone collection program. Public agencies such as hospitals, police and fire departments can recycle rechargeable batteries from their mission critical equipment. There are currently over 6,000 communities and public agencies enrolled to recycle rechargeable batteries and cell phones in the U.S. and Canada.
Business Recycling Plan: Rechargeable batteries are the power source for cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, two-way radios and cordless power tools, as well as bar code readers, portable printers, and PDAs. Eventually, the rechargeable batteries in these products lose their charge and need to be disposed of in accordance with current federal and state regulations. Presently, there are more than 5,000 businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada enrolled in the Call2Recycle program.

Program Funding
The program is funded through the licensing of RBRC's Battery Recycling Seal to the rechargeable power industry. Currently, there are more than 350 RBRC licensees whose companies represent more than 90% of the rechargeable power industry. Licensees pay a fee to place the RBRC Battery Recycling Seal on their Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-ion, Ni-Zn, and Pb batteries and/or battery-powered products. By supporting the program, RBRC licensees are proving their commitment to the environment.

Government Support
In May 1996, Congress enacted Federal legislation known as the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act. This Act streamlines state regulatory requirements for collecting Ni-Cd batteries and encourages voluntary industry programs to recycle them. The RBRC program has received recognition, endorsements, and awards from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Keep America Beautiful, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, and The Home Depot. The RBRC Battery Recycling Seal has been certified by the U.S. EPA.

Recycling Laws
In addition to the Federal law, nine US states including California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey and Vermont, currently require the industry to develop and implement a state-approved rechargeable battery collection program as a requirement of selling rechargeable batteries in the state. Most recently, California, New York City, and Maine have joined those states in creating legislation around rechargeable battery and/or cell phone recycling.

Retail Participation
The RBRC Call2Recycle program is supported by many national retailers, including (in the U.S.): ALLTEL, AT&T, Best Buy, Black & Decker, Circuit City, DeWalt, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Milwaukee Electric Tool, Office Depot, Porter-Cable Service Centers, RadioShack, Remington Product Company, Sears/Orchard Supply Hardware, Staples, Target, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless.

Participating retailers in Canada: Batteries Experts, Battery Plus, Bell World, Black & Decker, Canadian Tire, FIDO, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, London Drugs, Personal Edge/Centre du Rasoir, Sears, The Sony Store, The Source by Circuit City, Staples, Telus Mobility, and Zellers.

Charge Up to Recycle! ® For more information about RBRC’s Call2Recycle program or to find a rechargeable battery and cell phone collection site nearest you, call 1-877-2-RECYCLE or 1-800-8-BATTERY or visit RBRC’s Web sites at www.call2recycle.org or www.rbrc.org.