To protect the environment, as well as human health and safety, CAA is asking everyone to search their garages and other likely storage areas for used automobile and marine lead-acid batteries and bring them to their local participating CAA-approved repair facility. Greenham adds that CAA members have expressed their concern about preserving the environment. With this in mind, CAA is taking a leading role in removing one of the most potentially harmful cast-off consumer products from the environment.
A complete listing of drop-off locations is available online at www.central.on.caa.ca. All proceeds generated from the batteries collected during CAA's Great Battery Roundup will be donated to the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
CAA reminds people to wear gloves when handling batteries. Wear safety glasses and keep batteries upright and place them in a cardboard box or plastic container when transporting them for recycling. If the battery case is cracked or leaking, be especially careful to choose a leak-proof container. Do not smoke near or expose the batteries to an open flame, and make certain they will not shift and tip over in a moving vehicle.
"Nearly 99 per cent of a vehicle battery can be recycled and used again without removing new lead, or other natural resources from the environment," said Greenham. "We ask all Ontario citizens to help us roundup old, hazardous batteries."
CAA Central Ontario is a member-based organization providing emergency roadside assistance, insurance and travel to its members. Under the CAA umbrella, there are 1.8 million members in Ontario and over four million in Canada.