The Capital Regional District was officially recognized as a 2025 Leader in Sustainability on March 4, 2026, after a successful year of battery collection from residents across the region, including those in Colwood. The award highlights the community’s effort to keep hazardous materials out of the local trash and ensure they are recycled properly.
National non-profit organization Call2Recycle Canada issued the award after the region collected 30,816 kilograms of batteries at the Hartland Public Drop-off Depot. The district notes this massive amount of waste is equal to the weight of about six adult orcas.
Throwing batteries into regular garbage cans or blue recycling bins can be very dangerous for the community. These items can easily start fires in collection trucks or at the landfill, which puts local workers and emergency responders at risk.
By using the proper drop-off points, residents are helping to save valuable natural resources like lithium, nickel, and lead. Recycling these materials means they can be used again to make new products, which reduces the need for damaging new mining operations.
Residents are encouraged to keep using regional drop-off locations to dispose of their old batteries free of charge. Keeping these items out of the regular trash helps the Hartland Landfill last longer and keeps the local environment safer for everyone.
