05/02/2009 Midland Gate Shopping Centre Joins Fight Against Landfilling Batteries

Midland Gate Shopping Centre has joined the fight against batteries being sent to landfill.
Shoppers can now drop off their used household batteries at the Centre's new battery recycling bin at the entrance to the food court, near Dick Smith Electronics.

The EMRC's dry cell battery (household battery) collection program started in 2003, where five schools from Perth's Eastern Region were provided with resources and ongoing support to collect household batteries.

The success of the school-based program has seen it grow to 33 schools, 25 council offices, and three shopping centres in Perth's Eastern Region.  In 2008 the program successfully stopped over four tonnes of batteries from being sent to landfill. 

Last November the EMRC sent WA's first shipment of batteries to AusZinc, a producer of metals and alloys in NSW.  AusZinc opened Australia's first facility to recycle batteries in 2007 and are now piloting a program that will recover materials from the batteries to make recycled goods such as new batteries, street lights and steel frames for houses.

The dry-cell battery collection program is a service offered by the EMRC on behalf of its member Councils - Town of Bassendean, City of Bayswater, City of Belmont, Shire of Kalamunda, Shire of Mundaring and the City of Swan. 

The EMRC is working with other local and regional councils in Perth to encourage the creation of similar collection programs.

For information on the EMRC's battery recycling program visit rgang.org.au.

Tania Wells, Waste Education Officer
Direct: (08) 9424 2271, Email: Tania.Wells@emrc.org.au

Gabrielle Grime, Waste Education Coordinator
Direct: (08) 9424 2256, Email: Gabrielle.Grime@emrc.org.au