“THE BIG GREEN BOX”: THE SAFE WAY TO

DISPOSE OF BATTERIES 

 The Tracy Public Works Department would like the public to remember there are new rules when it comes to disposing of all batteries.  Batteries are now considered universal waste and can no longer be disposed of in the regular garbage.  That means they must be recycled to protect the environment.  The City has partnered with San Joaquin County for a pilot project called “The Big Green Box”. 

This program offers an easy and flexible way to recycle batteries and portable electronic devices.  “The Big Green Box” allows for you to drop off used batteries at designated locations around Tracy to keep batteries from being sent to the landfill.

What goes into “The Big Green Box?” All batteries that are alkaline, lithium, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium ion.  You may also place cellular telephones, pagers, wireless communication devices such as PDA’s, MP3’s, chargers, and any other small devices that are designed to operate on battery power.  Remember to think green before you ditch that old portable device in favor of that new upgrade you received this holiday. 

Drop off is always free.  The batteries need to be placed in a plastic bag before recycling.  This program is designed to help the public recycle the dry cell batteries from their wireless household products.  Since the California Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act AB 1125 was signed into law in 2005, the following batteries have been recycled throughout the state in 2006. 

• More than 634,000 pounds of nickel cadmium batteries
• More than 192,000 pounds of lithium ion batteries
• More than 173,000 pounds of nickel metal hydride batteries
• More than 109,000 pounds of lead acid batteries

The Tracy Public Works Department would like the public to properly recycle old batteries year round by depositing them at any of the following locations:

• City Hall – 333 Civic Center Plaza
• Public Works Department – 520 Tracy Boulevard – Gate 1
• Tracy Police Department – 1000 Civic Center Plaza
• Fire Administration – 835 Central Avenue
• Fire Station 91 – 1701 W. 11^th Street
• Fire Station 94 – 16502 W. Schulte Road
• Fire Station 96 – 301 W. Grant Line Road
• Fire Station 97 – 595 W. Central Avenue
• Parks and Community Services Department – 400 E. 10^th Street
• Lolly Hanson Senior Center – 375 E. 9^th Street
• Tracy Public Library – 20 E. Eaton Avenue
• Tracy Buyback Center – 99 W. 6^th Street
• Tracy Delta Disposal Office – 30703 MacArthur Drive
• Scale House – 30703 MacArthur Drive
• Material Recovery Facility – 30703 MacArthur Drive

The Public Works Department will pick up the filled batteries boxes and ship them for proper disposal.

Also remember, any retailers that sell rechargeable batteries and/or cell phones are required to take them back from consumers (you don’t have to be a customer).

For more information about “The Big Green Box” or any of Tracy’s recycling efforts, call 831-4331.