Battery recycling success

OVER seven tonnes of batteries have been recycled by the region's households in the last year. Dumfries and Galloway Council this week announced that since they launched household battery recycling in September 2024, they have collected 'a whopping 7.26 tonnes of batteries'.

A spokesperson said: "That’s roughly the weight of two large elephants, or about 315,000 AA batteries. "Even better, that’s four tonnes of carbon stopped from entering the atmosphere. "But it’s not just about recycling. Batteries thrown in the general waste bin cause fires at our waste processing facilities. And we’re not just talking sparks, we’re talking full-on fire alarms, evacuations and serious safety risks. Since this service started, fire alarm activations have dropped by 40 per cent. That means fewer disruptions, a safer environment for staff and more batteries going where they belong - to be recycled into something new." They thanked residents for 'proving that even small things can make a big difference' and urged everyone to keep using the pink battery bags.