Canada's Battery Recycling Sets Record, Powered by Local Partners

TORONTO, ON – February 23, 2026 – Canada's battery recycling efforts reached an unprecedented milestone in 2025, with a record-breaking collection of over 8 million kilograms of used batteries. This landmark achievement, announced by the national recycling organization Call2Recycle Canada, highlights a powerful and growing synergy between national programs, local communities, and engaged citizens.

To celebrate this success, the organization has announced its 2025 Leaders in Sustainability Awards, recognizing the network of businesses, retailers, and municipalities whose frontline efforts were instrumental in driving the record collections. The achievement pushes the total amount of batteries diverted from landfills since the program's inception to over 60 million kilograms, marking a significant environmental victory for the country.

The record year underscores the effectiveness of a collaborative strategy in tackling the mounting challenge of battery waste in an increasingly electrified world. It demonstrates that when recycling is made convenient and accessible, Canadians will respond in force.

The Power of Local Heroes

The story behind the 8-million-kilogram milestone is one of decentralized action and community-level commitment. While a national framework provides the backbone, the success is built upon a vast network of over 15,000 collection points hosted by partners who serve as the public face of battery recycling.

These partners—ranging from national retail chains and independent stores to municipal depots and community centers—have become the unsung heroes of Canada's circular economy. By integrating battery drop-off bins into convenient, everyday locations, they remove barriers to recycling and empower individuals to take action. The impact is clear: collections through the retail network alone surged by 15% between 2024 and 2025, a testament to the power of accessibility.

The Leaders in Sustainability Awards are intended to shine a spotlight on these crucial partnerships. They celebrate the organizations that have gone above and beyond, not just by hosting a collection box, but by actively promoting responsible battery management through local initiatives and awareness campaigns that turn environmental intention into measurable results.

A Trajectory of Accelerating Growth

The 2025 results are not an anomaly but the peak of a steep and consistent upward trend. A look at recent years reveals a pattern of accelerating momentum, validating the program's strategy and growing public engagement.

In 2022, the program collected 4.4 million kilograms. That figure jumped to approximately 5.8 million in 2023 and then to 6.8 million in 2024, with each year setting a new benchmark. The leap to over 8 million kilograms in 2025 represents the most significant single-year growth to date. As it proudly enters its 30th year of operation, the organization has proven its ability to scale its impact to meet rising demand.

This sustained growth is built upon a foundation of trust and a robust regulatory framework. Call2Recycle operates as a registered Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in multiple provinces, including Ontario and Alberta, and runs provincially-approved programs from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island. This structure ensures that battery producers fulfill their end-of-life obligations, funding a system that makes responsible recycling possible at no direct cost to consumers.

Beyond the AA: Tackling the Next Wave of Battery Waste

While the collection of common household batteries continues to grow, the organization is already deeply engaged in tackling the next, more complex frontier of battery recycling: the large-format lithium-ion batteries powering everything from e-bikes to electric vehicles (EVs).

Far from being a future concern, this work is already underway. Call2Recycle has been appointed by over 15 major auto manufacturers as the official service provider for managing end-of-life EV batteries in Quebec. In 2024 alone, it managed the logistics and recycling for nearly 3,000 EV battery packs and modules across Canada.

Similarly, the program has expanded to address the e-mobility boom. In British Columbia, it runs a dedicated program for e-transport batteries that includes the responsible recycling of entire e-bike devices. Even the small but hazardous batteries found in vaping products are now being managed under a new program in Quebec, demonstrating an agile response to evolving waste streams and regulations.

This proactive expansion is critical. As Canada progresses toward its electrification goals, the wave of spent EV and e-mobility batteries will become a tsunami. The infrastructure and partnerships being built today are a crucial investment in ensuring these powerful energy sources don't become a future environmental liability.

Innovation in the Face of Risk

Managing millions of kilograms of batteries, particularly the powerful and potentially volatile lithium-ion types, is a complex logistical and safety challenge. In response, the recycling program has invested heavily in safety protocols and technological innovation.

One of the most significant recent advancements is the rollout of 'Smart Containers' for battery collection and transport. These units, the most advanced of their kind in North America, are equipped with heat and fill-level sensors that provide real-time data to prevent overheating and optimize collection efficiency. After deploying 1,000 of these containers in 2024, more are planned for the coming year.

Safety is further reinforced by strict operational standards. The organization holds multiple ISO certifications and the rigorous R2v3 certification for responsible electronics recycling. This global standard ensures that all downstream partners adhere to the highest environmental and safety practices, guaranteeing that no batteries are sent to landfills and that valuable materials like cobalt, lithium, and lead are safely recovered to be used in new products. This commitment to a closed-loop system is essential for building a true circular economy.

The collaborative success of 2025 has set a powerful precedent, creating a strong foundation for the challenges and opportunities ahead. As Canada's reliance on battery technology continues to grow, the partnerships forged between the national program, local communities, and individual Canadians will be more critical than ever in powering a sustainable future.