The Regional Municipality of Durham is asking residents to participate in its annual spring curbside battery collection by placing used household batteries in a clear, sealable plastic bag on top of their closed green bin during the week of April 20, 2026. This service is available to households across the region that receive curbside collection, including those in Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Pickering, Scugog, and Uxbridge.
Residents are encouraged to take part in this effort to keep hazardous materials out of landfills. Up to 92 per cent of battery components are recyclable and recoverable, helping to prevent mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals from entering the environment. Once collected, the batteries are sent to Environmental 360 Solutions in Port Colborne, Ontario, where up to 90 per cent of each battery can be processed for recycling.
Since the program began in November 2012, residents have diverted more than 492 tonnes of household batteries from the waste stream. The region’s commitment to this initiative has earned recognition, including the 2024 Prestige Public Private Partnership award from the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association. The program has also served as a model for more than 60 other municipalities across Ontario that have since started their own recycling efforts.
For residents who do not have access to curbside collection or who miss the collection dates, there are alternative options available. Batteries can be dropped off at regional waste management facilities in Oshawa, Scugog, and Brock. Additionally, the region maintains a Household and Special Waste Depot in Clarington and partners with a private site in Pickering to provide free battery collection services.
The recycling of these materials in Ontario is managed under provincial oversight by the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority. This framework ensures that battery producers are held accountable for the collection and recycling of their products.
