Kindersley Fire Department joins national battery safety push
KINDERSLEY – The Kindersley Fire Department is partnering with Call2Recycle, Canada's leading battery collection and recycling organization, to raise awareness about battery safety through the national initiative Protect What Matters. Be Battery Safe.
The campaign aims to prevent battery-related fires and protect people, property and the environment by promoting safe handling and recycling practices.
Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries power everything from laptops and power tools to toys and e-mobility devices, including e-bikes, scooters and hoverboards. While the benefits are significant, the batteries are behind a rising number of fires across Canada.
That trend points to the need for stronger consumer education. The fire department and Call2Recycle's consumer program, Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!, are working together to promote responsible battery purchasing, use, handling and disposal.
"We're seeing a concerning rise in lithium-ion battery fires, which pose a significant threat to our community and our firefighters," said Fire Chief Jeff Soveran. "We urge our community members to take the time to adopt safe battery practices and recycle their used batteries through the Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program to protect themselves and our community."
Recycling keeps hazardous materials out of household garbage and Canadian landfills. It also allows valuable resources to be recovered and reused in new products, including stainless steel goods and new batteries.
"We applaud the Kindersley Fire Department for taking a proactive approach to battery safety education," said Jon McQuaid, vice-president of marketing, communications and innovation at Call2Recycle Canada. "Through Protect What Matters. Be Battery Safe., we're working with communities across Canada like Kindersley to provide Canadians with the knowledge they need to make safe and responsible choices about battery use and recycling."
The fire department is asking residents to collect, protect and drop off.
Never put batteries in the garbage or in blue bins.
Collect batteries in non-metal containers and store them safely.
Protect batteries by covering exposed terminals with tape, or by bagging them, before storing or dropping them off.
Drop off batteries at Murlin Electronics, 705J 11th Ave. East, or at SARCAN, 106 Railway Ave. East, both in Kindersley. Other locations are listed at recycleyourbatteries.ca.
More information is available at recycleyourbatteries.ca/battery-safety.