Lowe’s wins battery recycling kudos, again

Lowe’s Canada has been named a Leader in Sustainability for the fourth year in a row by Call2Recycle Inc.

In 2021, efforts across Lowe’s, RONA, and Réno-Dépôt stores helped ensure over 125,000 kilograms of used batteries were collected for safe disposal diverted from landfills. This represents a 28% increase over 2020.

“It’s the small, yet significant everyday actions, like safely disposing of used batteries at one of our stores, that allow sustainability initiatives to succeed, and more broadly, for Lowe’s Canada to have a positive impact on the environment and the communities we serve,” said Mélanie Lussier, director, external communications and sustainable development.

“A big thank you goes to our customers and associates for helping us outdo our battery collection and recycling numbers every year. Our collective efforts and commitment to sustainability over time and across our entire network are making an impact.”

Lowe’s Canada is among Call2Recycle’s highest performing partners, a select group of major retailers, warehouses, municipalities, and companies that continue setting a high standard for leadership in this area. This is the tenth time Lowe’s Canada has received a Leader in Sustainability award.

Call2Recycle is the provincially approved consumer battery collection and recycling program for British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island, and operates as a registered Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in Ontario according to the Ontario Batteries Regulation.

“Each year, Canadians recycle more and more of their used batteries with Call2Recycle thanks to the exceptional partnership of organizations like Lowe’s Canada. Its commitment to sustainability and diverting batteries from the waste stream for reuse in new products is making a real difference,” said Joe Zenobio, president of Call2Recycle Canada, Inc.

“With Lowe’s Canada’s support, we have been able to achieve record collection targets year after year, helping to protect wildlife, the environment, and our communities by keeping toxic metals out of landfills.”

Sustainability programs

Lowe’s Canada aims to reduce the environmental footprint of its business, operations, and customers through several Canada-wide programs. In addition to large-scale battery collection efforts in 2021, the company collected more than 1,850 tons of paint and 95 tons of CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes.

Lowe’s Canada was also the first home improvement retailer to announce it will progressively remove single-use plastic shopping bags from its network starting in June 2022.