Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’S (RBRC) “Charge up to Recycle!” Program for Used Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) Batteries
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E-47 PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP ON EXTENDED PRODUCT RESPONSIBILITY 1. Name and Description of Proiect: The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s (RBRC) “Charge Up to Recycle!” program for used nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries. RBRC is a nonprofit public service corporation dedicated to educating the public as to the need to collect and recycle used Ni-Cd batteries. RBRC also funds and facilitates Ni-Cd recycling programs nationwide in the United States, and soon throughout Canada as well. 2. Proiect Participants: The “Charge Up to Recycle’’ program is funded by over 200 companies worldwide that manufacture rechargeable products for sale into North America (list attached). Key players are the owners of RBRC: Energizer Power Systems, San yo Energy (U.S.A.), Panasonic Industrial Company, Saft America, and Varta ‘Batteries. Other participants include INMETCO, where the batteries are recycled, and numerous consolidation facilities and trucking firms. Batteries are collected from all market sectors including consumers, businesses, public agencies, institutions, etc. 3. Proiect Goals: Used Ni-Cd batteries have been identified by the US. EPA as a principal contributor of the toxic heavy metal cadmium into the solid waste stream. The “Charge Up to Recycle!” program is to educate the public that used Ni-Cd batteries should be recycled, thus reducing environmental risk and conserving natural resources. All parts of the used Ni-Cd battery are recycled and reused. No part re-enters the solid waste stream. 4. Proiect Drivers: Initial Ni-Cd collection was driven by state laws in Minnesota and New Jersey that required industry sponsored and funded collection pilot projects. It became clear to rechargeable product manufacturers that unless a voluntary industry funded program was established nationwide, Ni-Cd batteries would either be banned or subjected to a prohibitive deposit. Once the pilot programs were operational and industry members saw they could be successful, the RBRC program was established and received widespread industry support. 5. Proiect Benefits: In 1995, the first full year of the “Charge Up to Recycle!” program operation, over 15% of the used Ni-Cd batteries available for recycling were recycled. By the year 2000 we hope to attain a recycling rate exceeding 70%, with 100% collection the ultimate goal. In addition to protecting the environment, the program provides significant subsidies to those recycling Ni-Cds. RBRC pays for retail Ni-Cd collection containers, for all shipping back to recycling by retailers, and all Ni-Cd recycling charges. For counties and municipalities, RBRC pays for the shipping back to recycling and all Ni-Cd recycling charges. For businesses and public agencies, RBRC pays for all Ni-Cd recycling charges. RBRC operates a toll free number where anyone can call to find out how and where to recycle Ni-Cds. Call 1-800-8-BATTERY. E-49 6. Proiect Obstacles/Barriers: The most significant obstacle to used Ni-Cd collection are the hazardous waste transportation and manifesting requirements found in RCRA. EPA recognized these obstacles and promulgated the Universal Waste Rule at 40 CFR Part I 273 to remedy the problem. Because Part 273 is deregulatory, each state had to adopt the rule before it took effect. For this reason Congress passed the “Mercury Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act” in early 1995, which allowed Part 273 to take effect immediately in all 50 U.S. states. A similar process is underway in Canada. The deregulatory effort in the U.S. took about five years. The free-rider issue has also been a problem in the U.S. and Canada. Today an RBRC recycling fee is paid on over 75% of the new Ni-Cd batteries sold into the U.S. market. This will continue to be an ongoing problem. 7. Project Reviews: Recent project reviews have been conducted by Bette Fishbein of INFORM, Inc., for the University of Tennessee, and by Michael Bender, in Waste Dynamics of the Northeast. The “Charge Up to Recycle!” program has been endorsed by a number of members of Congress, including Rep. Frank Pallone, D-NJ, “This is a good first step in limiting toxic metals in our environment.” 8. Proiect Presenters: The project is presented by Jefferson C. Bagby, RBRC Vice- President & General Counsel, 2046A Jefferson Davis Highway, Stafford, Virginia, 22554. Phone (540) 720-9225. E-50 F StaffordRECHARIEABLESquare - Suite A, 2046 JeffWm BAEERVDavis Highway. Stafford. RECVNNIVirginia 22554-7219. Phone (540)C~RP~RAT~~N 720-3668 Fax (540) 720-9324 Prestige Pap. Suite 300.2233 NoflhWesl41" Street. Gainesville. Flonda 32606-6643. Phone (352) 376-6693 Fax (352) 376-6658 "CHARGE UP TO RECYCLE!" PROGRAM FUNDING as of October 11,1996 Access Bumdy Electrical Corporation General Electric Sanyo AD1 Communications Cop. Canon U.S.A.. Inc. Golden Power Industries Ltd. Advanced Fox Cellular CAR-GO Battay CO. GP Batteries USA) Gdd Peak Alexander Mfg. Co. Casio. Inc. GSL Engineering. LTD Alexander Baiter). Company West Inc. Cell-Con Inc. Harvest Master Inc. Andis Company Centurion International Inc. Hcwlett-Packard Company AntoniBauer, Inc. Cermark Hilti. Inc. Applied Power, Inc. Cobra Electronics Corp. Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. Aero Design. Inc. Comtec Information Systems"1nc. Hitachi Power Tools USA. Ltd. Allied Signal Inc. DC Battay Products Hi-Watt Battery Indusq Co.. Ltd. Aromat Corporation D C% D Battery Nil ATkT Corp. Digi-Key Corporation HM Electronics Aull Battery Company Du-Bro Produas, Inc. Hobbico - Hobby Corporation of America Duratrax A.V.T. Duraccll Inc. Hobbico Dynacha%c Tower Hobbies Avex Electronics Corp. Energizer Power Systems Homelite (A Division of Deere & Company) B3tteric.s Plus Energizer Evmady The Hoover Company (Maytag Corporation) Battery Assemblers. Inc. Millennium Genaator House of Batteries Battery Fabricators. Inc. Energy Sales, lac. lcom America,!nc. Batter). Specialties Engineered Assembly Corporation (EAC) Illinois Tool Works Baiisch & Lomb ITW Paslode Epson Am&- Inc. ITW Ramet Bisscll Ericsson Inc. Industrial Scientific Corporation Black & Decker Ericsson Consumer Pouer Tools GE Integrated Display Technology Ltd. DeWalt VenaPak Evergreen (C.P.) U.S.A., Inc. Iota Engineering Company Outdoors Products B & D Industry & Construction Fedco Electronics lwatsu America, Inc. Mac Tool Matco Fluke Corporation Izumi Products Company Household Products Industry 8 Construction Forte Networks JBRO Batteries. Inc. JBRO Batteries &?gm Fuji Photo Film U.S.A.. !nc. Telepower Fujur-Photo Film Co., Ltd. Enercell Brandt Serv$eccs, IncJBSI Batteries Fujitsu Limited JTECH Inc. Braun Inc. Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc, John Manufacturing LTD. BRK Brands, Inc. FUJIISUBusiness Communications Fist Alert S stems. Inc. JVC Corporation (US) Readv Life djiiu Personal Systems, lnc Famil Gad JVC Company of America BRK Electronics Fully Powm Intmational Limited JVC Professional Products Company Brother lntemational Corporation Futaba Corpontion JVC Service & Engineering Company Burdick Inc. Generation Elwonics Printed on recycled paper with soybean inks. Kenwood Americas Corporation E-51 LG Electronics, Inc. Philips Consumer Electronics StrenuMed Inc. Ma navox STR-2000 Liebert Corporation Phiips STR-3000 LSM lntemational Physio-Control Corporation Sunbeam Corporation Sunbeam Lumedyne. Inc. Plainview Batteries, Inc. Oster LH’C Disuibutors. Inc. Plantronics. Inc. Tandy Co oration Xadio Shack Mag Instrument Inc. Porter-Cable Corporation Realistic Tandy Makita U.S.A.. Inc. Pro Battery Inc. Protronics Teac Corporation Makita Corporation of America Professional Dental Technologies, Inc. Techsonic Industries,. Inc. Makita Corporation. Ltd Pro-Dentec Humminbird Matsushita Electric Corporation of America Progressive Technologies. Inc. TechTronic Industries Co.. Ltd. Panasonic Technics Promark Electronics Division. Electronics Tekcoin Industries Limited Quasar Marketing Corporation Telecommunications Devices, Inc (TDI Maxell Corporation of America Quadmark, Ltd. Batteries) Mawn America. Inc. Recoton Corporation Teledyne Water Pik Maxon Ambico Discwasher Texas Instruments Incorporated UcDsnirl WC. Inc Interact TravelMate Performance SPM / Micro Powr Electronics. A Ditision Recoton 3M 01 BACE Mfg. Remington Products Company TNR Technical Inc. hlicro Precision Inc Resistacap. Inc. ToCad America Inc. hlilnsukee Electric Tool Corporation ToCad Richey Cypress Electronics Sunpack hlinolta Co.. Ltd. Encore Rickbery Battery Industrial Co.. Ltd. hlinolta Cerporation Thomson Consumer Electronics. Inc. RICOH Corporation GE hlita Copystar America. Inc. RCA Rose Electronics Distributing Company, Inc. Mitsuhishi Electric America. Inc. (hlEA) Toshiba America. Inc. Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. Irlitsubishi Consumer Electronics America Royal Trinity Products Inc (XICEA) Dirt Devil TSA Systems. Ltd. Mitsubishi Electronics America. Inc. (MELA) Ryobi North America. Inc. Uniden America Corporation hlitsubishi Intemational Corporation (MIC) Ryobi Outdoor Products. Inc. President Impulse Monarch Marking Systems Ryobi Motor Products Corp. Bearcat Regency Motorola Inc. Ryobi America Corp. Uniden Sea Ranger Multiplier Industries Corporation SAFT America Inc. West Marine A ain & Again Extend-A-Phone National Custom Enterprises. Inc. (WE) Intniti SAFT Nicad Unique Display Inc. National Power Co Natioiial%%? Sanyo Energy (U.S.A.) Corporation U.S. Robotics Access Corp. Maxell Corp. US.Robotics Sanyo Fisher Service Corporation NEC America. Inc. Varta Batteries Inc. Sanyo Fisher (USA) Corporation NEC Technologies. Inc. Victory