Longo's becomes first grocery chain in Call2Recycle's Ontario battery program

Shoppers can now drop off used batteries at every Longo's supermarket in the Greater Toronto Area, after the family-owned grocer became the first grocery store chain to join Call2Recycle's Ontario battery collection and recycling program.

All 37 Longo's stores across the GTA are participating in the program, according to SustainableBiz. The Toronto-based Call2Recycle network now counts more than 2,600 battery collection sites across the province.

"It's such a natural fit with what Longo's is doing with their sustainability initiatives and in-store activation," Jon McQuaid, Call2Recycle's vice-president of marketing, communications and innovation, told SustainableBiz.

A pilot that grew to 37 stores

Longo's, which was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Vaughan, began talking with Call2Recycle toward the end of 2022. The grocer then ran a pilot at three GTA stores lasting roughly eight to 10 weeks before rolling the program out chain-wide.

"The results were tremendous, the team was happy with the results, and the pilot program . . . grew to rolling out to all 37 locations," McQuaid said.

Because every store is in the GTA, Call2Recycle uses a direct pickup service model. Its service provider collects the boxes once they are full, along with handling the reporting, McQuaid explained. Any Longo's locations that open in the future would also join the collection network.

Call2Recycle shares how much tonnage is diverted from landfill on a store-by-store basis with its partners, though McQuaid did not disclose figures specific to Longo's.

What batteries are accepted

The program accepts household batteries weighing up to five kilograms, as well as batteries used to power electric vehicles. Collected batteries are sent for processing, where valuable materials such as metal alloys are retrieved and used to make new products.

Call2Recycle is the provincially approved consumer battery collection and recycling program for B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and P.E.I. In Ontario, it operates as a registered Producer Responsibility Organization under the Ontario Batteries Regulation.

Since its founding in 1997, the organization has grown to more than 400 members, including producers of single-use and rechargeable batteries, and its collection network spans more than 10,000 locations across Canada.

Grocers seen as a growth channel

McQuaid said Call2Recycle is in discussions to add more grocers and retailers to its network, calling the channel an area of growth. The organization works with hundreds of municipalities across Canada, including more than 150 in Ontario alone.

There may also be educational opportunities for Longo's staff on battery safety and recycling, McQuaid said, including possible visits to the organization's sorting and processing partners for a behind-the-scenes look.

In December, Call2Recycle released a report with the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association recommending a national end-of-life battery strategy for electric vehicles. Expanding the collection network through partners such as Longo's supports that effort.

"Across the country, and within each province, we're really focused on maximizing diversion of batteries from landfills," McQuaid said. "By working with great partners like Longo's and adding more accessible points for consumers to drop off batteries for recycling, we're helping to achieve that."