I rarely get excited about garbage day, even when I see how much recycling my family has done that week, but when I read about the #RecycleDrive Campaign with CAASCO (South Central Ontario) and Ontario Tire Stewardship I have to admit my heart did a little dance! 2014 marks the fourth annual eco-friendly recycling initiative which invites us to bring in our old batteries, oil and tires to any participating CAA Auto Approved Repair Facility (AARF) so they can be properly recycled. My excitement resulted from the realization that I can finally dispose of the overflowing bucket of batteries we have in the garage. Ya I know, I am easy to please.
Did you know that you should not put batteries, tires and old oil in the trash let alone your blue bin? The RecycleDrive campaign works to keep old tires from overflowing our landfills or releasing dangerous toxins into the air when melted down in a burning kiln. It keeps old batteries and oil from leaking a toxic soup of nasty pollutants into our water, air and soil. The end result is a healthier environment for our families to grow and play in.
The Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) is responsible for implementing and managing the Used Tires Program, a province wide scrap tire resolution for tires that are supplied into the Ontario market. The OTS tracks and manages how over 12 million tires sold in Ontario are handled when they reach their end of service life, with a goal of recycling these tires into other eco-friendly products. The list of items that are produced from recycled tires includes playground surfacing, roof shingles, doormats and so much more. With the Used Tires Program Ontarians can drop off up to four tires at a time to be reclaimed for free! To date the OTS has saved over 60 million tires from our landfills. That number is staggering!
The CAA Southern Central Ontario that we know and love has been helping Ontarian’s with their motoring and traveling needs for more than a hundred years! CAA’s Autogreen program was designed to help their customers by providing resources and choices to help their members become more eco-friendly drivers. With CAASCO working together with OTS the RecycleDrive campaign has collected an impressive amount of tires, batteries and oil in the past four years.
To motivate you even more to drop off your tires between October 14th and 30th the CAA Auto Approved Repair Facility (AARF ) that collects the most tires will be able to help a local school building, playground or space be transformed into an eco-friendly environment with $20,000 worth of creative recycled tire products and landscaping goods donated by OTS and CAA SCO! You win and so does the community at large. The first 50 participants at each AARF will also receive free yard waste collection bags!
So now we have no more excuses to hang onto those old batteries, oil and tires. Check out the list of CAA Auto Approved Repair Facilities participating in #RecycleDrive 2014 and make plans to visit between October 14th and 30th.
Do you have a school or neighborhood playground that could use some eco-friendly revitalization?
FT&PD
Suz
Great idea, Suzanne! Although we don’t have any old tires, we do have some batteries we can dispose of and it is so much easier when there are a couple of ‘drop-offs’ available!
I agree Gemma. If you don’t know where to take them they usually end up in the trash..
There should be no excuse not to replace old batteries, oil and tires because these are part of the mandatory car maintenance for safe drive. Sad to say, our neighborhood does not have that kind of playground.
I agree, it should be made a law or something..
I like to recycle.. I even prefer to upcycling!~ Do more on your parts for our environment.. Great!
Up-cycling is becoming more and more popular.. Great way to save the earth!
Love this recycling chores with so much to help out planet earth. Hope that all humans should be aware of green environment.
I agree..
I think this is a very thoughtful campaign. We need more such campaigns to ensure a healthy environment for our generations ahead.
It is a great initiative!
I wish they have this battery thing in our area. They really need to dispose of these chemical containing things more carefully. Unfortunately, they are just thrown in with the rest of the trash here. – Fred
Start your own campaign Fred!
My family and I are huge proponents of recycling and upcycling, kudos to CAA for this RecycleDrive campaign. Wish more companies possessed awareness of this critical situation.
I agree Monica.. I learned quite a bit about the recycling efforts going on in Ontario.. It is pretty good!
I’m someone who’s big in recycling, got to do your part to keep the world clean.
Very true!
Hi Fred, where are you located?
So glad you posted this! I often hang onto old batteries because I am clueless how to dispose of them
LOL Kim, I think that is the case for many (me included). It is great to be able to get rid of them safely..
I love that CAA does this campaign. It certainly makes it effortless to dispose of things most people don’t know how to or don’t want to spend the money to!
I think knowing it is free will inspire lots of people to take advantage of Recycle Drive!
ah! i never knew you shouldn’t dispose it in the general trash. learnt something new!
I am glad you could learn something Nicol. First step to making a change!
I have just recently started recycling. I need to be better at it.
Practice makes perfect Stephanie..
I think this would minimize toxins from burned rubbers and batteries. This is a really good drive.
It will save tons from the landfills too!
what a great champaign! and your post is really useful for people who clueless about how to throw old batteries 🙂
LOL, thank you Ehara 🙂
Such environmental campaigns should be world-wide and not just limited to one country. If only everyone does it, the world will be a much better place!
I agree Tiffany, imagine the difference we could make..
Ecuador in general could use some eco-friendly revitalization. Only way to recycle here is to do it yourself. And with batteries, that’s just not a possibility.
You could start a campaign Joanna!
This campaign is ingenious! I really wish we could all use and apply this to make our planet a better and environment friendly place to live.
Great attitude!
I love how organized this movement is! Community is important for continuity, so this project can also spread to others. Cheers to a greener future.
Cheers to you Phyliciamarie!
Good idea and thankyou I learn something new!
Great, you are really inspiring.
Thank you Indira!