Page 6 - AAA Northwest Ohio - AAA Now! March/April 2013

6 MARCH/APRIL 2013
automotive
services
more people to take the extra, responsible step of
getting these batteries to a recycling center.
In addition to being the right thing to do for the
environment, recycling batteries can also play
an important role in keeping the price of new
batteries down. This is because recycled lead costs
less than fresh lead that is mined.
Leaking acid from old batteries can
be harmful to children, pets and the
environment. To avoid exposure to harmful
acid, AAA recommends that consumers
wear gloves and safety glasses when
handling batteries, keep them upright and
place batteries in a sturdy box or plastic
container when transporting them for
recycling. If the battery case is cracked or
leaking, be especially careful to choose a
leak-proof container. Do not smoke near
the battery or expose it to an open flame,
and make certain it will not shift or tip over
in a moving vehicle.
Doing its part to help save and protect
Mother Earth on a year-round basis,
the mobile battery services program
operated by AAA and CAA in the United
States and Canada have collectively
recycled more than one million batteries
since its launch in 1997.
AAA Northwest Ohio will observe Earth
Day by once again hosting the AAA Great
Battery Round-Up. We invite motorists to
drop off old automotive batteries, at no
charge, to any of our three Car Care Plus
facilities April 18th – 23rd during normal
business hours. Do your part and recycle
those batteries.
AAA’s
Great
Battery
Roundup
Recycling 365
Days a Year
For years, piles of worn tires or rusting auto
parts were easily associated with the end life
of automobiles and auto parts. Over the years,
however, auto repair shops have come to play
an active role in their recycling efforts. This is
no different for AAA Car Care Plus.
Many people aren't aware of the
environmental thinking and practices in
AAA Car Care Plus auto repair shops. The
environment is very important to us and we
do our best to recycle wherever we can. As
part of AAA's initiative, we currently recycle the
following items:
• Used Engine Oil / Transmission Fluid
–We do a lot of oil changes and flushes
throughout the year, leaving us with hundreds
of gallons of wasted motor oil and transmission
fluid. We have waste oil furnaces in our repair
facilities that allow us to use this waste oil and
transmission as fuel for heat.
• Tire Recycling – More than 300 million
tires are scrapped annually in the United
States, which equals approximately one tire
per person. About 89 percent of those tires
are put to new productive use, including
recycling and fuel. At AAA Car Care Plus,
we send all our used tires to a tire recycling
company. Recycled scrap tires are used to
produce products such as playground material,
rubberized asphalt, mulch and athletic fields.
• ScrapMetal/Parts Recycling – Anytime
we take metal or parts off a vehicle that cannot
be used, we take them in for recycling at a local
company. This helps to keep the metal out of the
landfills and it can be reused in other products.
The most commonly recycledmetals are iron
and steel, aluminum and copper. In addition to
the activities above, we also use a water based
parts cleaner in our facilities. The cleaner is
biodegradable and safer for the environment
than traditional chemical based cleaners.
The case for recycling is strong. The bottom
line is clear. Recycling requires a trivial
amount of time, saves money and reduces
pollution. AAA Car Care Plus is committed
to helping make our environment a better
place and will continue to look for new ways
to be greener in the future. We encourage all
AAA employees and members to look at their
personal lives and see where they can make a
difference too.
The car battery, a renewable
source of vehicle power,
contains lead that is 97 percent
recyclable. Yet, millions of these
batteries never get a new chance
at life because they've gotten lost
in the shuffle.
In commemoration of Earth
Day on April 22nd, AAA/CAA
and its team of battery service
professionals hunt down what
is estimated to be more than
5 million used, lead-acid car, truck, boat and
motorcycle batteries that have not made their way
back to their natural habitat: the recycling plant.
Some of these old batteries are being illegally
disposed of in dumpsters, or are simply placed
in consumers’ garages, yards or storage sheds
awaiting disposal. AAA would like to encourage