Close to 18 tons of batteries have been collected in the year since the introduction of a joint battery collection and recycling project between Pick 'n Pay and rechargeable battery manufacturer Uniross.
It is estimated that 50 million batteries are consumed in SA annually, 95% of which are non-rechargeable, throwaway batteries.
“This represents 2 500 tons of batteries that are disposed of into landfills every year and eventually corrode and degrade, exposing harmful chemicals to the environment,” says Pick 'n Pay.
“The recycling project began on a relatively small scale and has grown to include collection bins that are located at most Pick 'n Pay stores,” says Uniross MD Michael Rogers.
According to a Uniross study, rechargeable batteries have up to 32 times less impact on the environment than disposable batteries; 28 times less potential impact on global warming; 30 times less potential impact on air pollution; and 12 times less potential impact on water pollution.
The batteries are collected from Pick 'n Pay stores by Uniross and taken to its factory in Midrand, from where they are recycled or properly disposed of.
Batteries that cannot be recycled by Uniross are put into protective concrete blocks and then carefully disposed of in a protected landfill in order to eliminate the possibility of a leakage of harmful chemicals.
Switch to recyclable
“Our message to the consumer is to switch to rechargeable batteries as they will benefit from significant cost savings, while protecting the environment,” Rogers notes.
Pick 'n Pay's director of marketing and sustainability, Bronwen Rohland, adds: “We recognise that sustainability practices need to be top of the agenda for all businesses and a priority for every household.
“We'd like to create awareness among our customers that the incorrect disposal of used batteries has the potential to have a severely negative impact on the environment.”
One AA battery can pollute up to 500 litres of water and one cubic metre of land for 50 years. A single rechargeable battery can replace up to 1 000 non-rechargeable batteries.
Special collection bins for used batteries can be found in Pick 'n Pay stores countrywide.
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SA lacks e-waste strategy
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