Northgate Market joins Fallbrook Beautification Alliance's household battery recycling program

FALLBROOK – The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance is pleased to announce that Northgate Market has joined the Household Battery Recycling Program, providing a fifth location in Fallbrook where residents are able to safely dispose of hazardous household battery waste.

Over the past nine years, the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance estimates that the program has helped safely recycle over 600,000 old, used and dead batteries. Household batteries may not be thrown away in regular curbside trash, recycling containers or even taken directly to the dump. They must be taken to an authorized recycling location, which in Fallbrook, is EDCO Waste & Recycling Services, 550 W. Aviation Road.

To make it easier for Fallbrook residents to properly get rid of this hazardous waste, the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance has partnered with the Fallbrook Village Rotary, who assists by collecting the discarded batteries at convenient locations at a number of Fallbrook local markets.

All batteries are considered hazardous waste in California when they are discarded, including batteries of all sizes, AAA, AA, C, D, button cell, 9 volt and all other batteries, both rechargeable and single use. By law therefore, all batteries must be recycled or taken to a household hazardous waste disposal facility, a universal waste handler – storage facility or broker – or an authorized recycling facility.

Batteries are considered hazardous because of the metals and other toxic or corrosive materials contained within. If that is not enough reason enough to dispose of them properly, batteries are potentially a valuable source of recyclable metal.

Erika Moto, manager, and Augustine Hernandez, assistant manager, of Northgate said they were happy to work with the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance to help clean up the village.

"Fallbrook is a beautiful town, and we welcome the opportunity to work with the FBA to create a safe and clean environment" they said.

"For the first few weeks, the battery drop-off container will be decorated and positioned in a highly visible spot near the front doors," Hernandez said. "We hope this will help our customers become familiar with this important new convenience."

Fallbrook Village Rotary volunteer Don Weeks will monitor the drop-off location and transport the hazardous material to EDCO.

Other drop-off locations in Fallbrook include Albertson's, Major Market – both sites are managed by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance and Fallbrook Village Rotary volunteers – the Fallbrook Library and EDCO.

For small quantities of old, dead or leaking household batteries, utilize one of the drop-off locations. Larger quantities should be taken directly to EDCO.

To get involved with the initiative, or any of the other environmental and beautification program managed by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, visit http://www.fallbrookbeautification.org.