Innovative solution to battery waste: Call2Recycle and EDI Inc.'s sorting technology
Armed with a first-of-its-kind sorting technology in North America, Call2Recycle has teamed up with Electronic Distributors International Incorporated (EDI Inc.) in Orillia to ensure that used batteries are redistributed instead of wasted.
The new sorting technology at EDI Inc. can separate batteries’ materials automatically instead of by hand, making it much easier for them to be reused for items such as e-bikes and golf clubs.
“The X-ray technology is the newest technology on the market to be able to do that,” said Norm Yorke from EDI Inc. The sorting equipment has allowed the Orillia-based recycling company to double its capacity and process almost 500 kilograms of batteries per hour. “It is looking for the chemistry of the battery. It’s not looking for what the battery label says,” added Yorke.
Recycling batteries is becoming more crucial with the rise in battery use, which is estimated to be 100 per household at a time.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
“We’re trying to raise awareness around the importance of recycling batteries,” said Jon McQuaid, Call2Recycle’s vice president of communications, marketing and innovation. His organization’s mission is to recycle as many as possible.
Canadians helped divert approximately 6 million kilograms of batteries from landfills across the country in 2023, which means fewer toxic chemicals ending up in the environment.
However, Call2Recycle also plans to make recycling batteries even more accessible with new ‘smart’ drop-off containers across 12,000 sites. The ‘smart’ containers can detect heat when they are filled.
“Don’t throw those batteries in the garbage,” urged McQuaid. “Get them out of your homes and get them to one of our convenient drop-off locations.”
Call2Recycle plans to launch its battery collection program with smart drop-off containers this winter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns as companies press lawmakers for state funds
Kansas could soon offer up to US$5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
'It happened so fast': Evacuees describe fleeing Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire
Thousands have been forced to flee a wildfire burning near Fort Nelson. Meanwhile, some experienced volunteers are staying behind to fight the fire.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.