National Battery Day: A Recycling Record in Quebec
National Battery Day: A Recycling Record in Quebec
February 18 marks National Battery Day, an opportunity to highlight the importance of recycling these everyday products — and the progress made in Quebec and across Canada.
The year 2025 set a record: 1.7 million kilograms of batteries were recycled in Quebec, out of a total of 8 million kilograms across Canada. Since 1997, more than 60 million kilograms have been recovered nationwide.
These figures show growing public participation, but recovery organizations remind us that millions of batteries still end up in household garbage each year.
Household batteries contain metals and materials that can be recovered and reintroduced into the manufacturing chain. When thrown in the trash, however, they pose environmental risks and can cause fires in sorting facilities.
Experts recommend storing used batteries in a dry container at home and, in the case of lithium batteries, placing adhesive tape over the terminals to prevent short circuits before dropping them off at a collection point.
Recycling batteries is simple: there are 5,800 collection points across Quebec, located in retail stores, hardware stores, public buildings, and municipal eco-centres.
On National Battery Day, organizations encourage the public to check drawers and unused electronic devices to collect old batteries and give them a second life.
A small action that, multiplied by millions of citizens, makes a real contribution to protecting the environment.
