EAST LANSING, Mich. — The City of East Lansing recently launched a new recycling program for rechargeable batteries to help promote their use among East Lansing residents.

The program is being launched in response to Ingham County’s discontinuation of its household battery recycling collection on Aug. 21. As of Aug. 20, the City will no longer be able to collect community members’ alkaline batteries for recycling due to the county’s decision to discontinue the program. The City of East Lansing participated in the program by collecting common household batteries, including alkaline batteries, and recycling them through the county. East Lansing is now encouraging residents to not only use rechargeable batteries in place of alkaline batteries, but to recycle them at a number of new drop-off sites established throughout the City.

Community members can drop off their rechargeable batteries, including Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion), Nickel Zinc (Ni-Zn) and Small Sealed Lead (Pb) batteries, at the East Lansing Department of Public Works, 1800 E. State Road; the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road; East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road; or the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road, during hours of operation. Old cell phones can also be dropped off at these locations.

Rechargeable batteries are commonly found in cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, cordless power tools, two-way radios, camcorders, digital cameras and a variety of other portable electronic products. When rechargeable batteries can no longer hold a charge, they can and should be recycled.

The facts show that community members who not only recycle their rechargeable batteries, but also simply make the switch to rechargeable batteries will be, in turn, doing something good for the environment. According to recent studies, rechargeable batteries have up to 32 times less impact on the environment than alkaline batteries.

“Rechargeable batteries create less water and air pollution, consume fewer natural resources, generate less climate change pollutants and reduce waste,” said East Lansing Environmental Specialist David Smith. “We hope everyone in the East Lansing community will make the change to rechargeable batteries and be sure to recycle them through the new program.”

East Lansing’s new program for recycling rechargeable batteries is a part of the national Call2Recycle™ program, which is designed to offer City residents throughout the country with accessible opportunities to recycle cell phones and portable rechargeable batteries, weighing less than 2 lbs/1 kg.

Community members can call the East Lansing Department of Public Works at (517) 337-9459 for more information about the new program for collecting rechargeable batteries and the discontinuation of alkaline battery recycling collection.