Recycling at Sustainability Office

(Silver City, NM, 19 June, 2014)

The Office of Sustainability for the Town of Silver City has just become affiliated with the Call2Recycle® program to recycle rechargeable batteries and cell phones. You can now recycle these at the Office located at 1106 N. Pope St. The Office is usually open from 9-4 Monday thru Thursday.

This recycling program only accepts rechargeable batteries because they contain potentially dangerous metals like nickel, cadmium or lithium. Call2Recycle is funded by product manufacturers across the globe committed to environmentally-sound recycling of rechargeable batteries and cell phones.

Non-rechargeable alkaline batteries made after the mid-1990's do not contain heavy metals like mercury. They are made from the common elements zinc and manganese dioxide, which do not pose a serious environmental concern. They can therefore be safely disposed of with household trash. A leaking alkaline battery should be handled with care and placed in the trash since it leaks potassium hydroxide which is a caustic chemical like oven cleaner.

A local option to recycle alkaline batteries is Our Paws Cause Thrift Shop at 108 N. Bullard. They are open 10-2 on Wed – Sat. All of the net proceeds from their sales go the High Desert Humane Society Halt a Litter Today (H.A.L.T.) program.

Additional locations where you can recycle rechargeable batteries and cell phones through the Call2Recycle program are Radio Shack and Ace Hardware. The Office of Sustainability also collects cell phones and donates them to el Refugio for either reuse or recycling. The Office of Sustainability also has a collection box to collect phones for el Refugio at the new Verizon store at 105 N. Rosedale Street Suite D. For more information on the Office of Sustainability view their web pages at www.townofsilvercity.org or call 575-519-8987.