LA AAA: Motorists Urged to Remove and Recycle Old Car and Boat Batteries to Aid Southern California Fire Restoration Efforts

LOS ANGELES--April 15, 2004--The Automobile Club of Southern California's "Great Battery Roundup(R)" is about to get under way, and the Club is urging Southern California motorists to scour garages, carports and yards for used car, truck, motorcycle and boat batteries, and donate them at designated recycling sites.

For each battery "rounded up" and returned to the Club's designated recycling sites, the AAA Battery Service will donate $1.50 to aid fire restoration efforts in the Southern California burn areas damaged in the 2003 firestorms.

Southern California motorists will be able to donate used car, truck, motorcycle and boat lead-acid batteries to any of 93 collection locations throughout Southern California between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily from Saturday, April 17 to Saturday, April 24.

The goal of the Auto Club campaign is to collect 5,000 batteries throughout the Southland. The battery recycling campaign is a national recycling effort for AAA affiliates.

"The impact of vehicle maintenance on the environment can be an overlooked aspect of responsible vehicle ownership," said Steve Mazor, the Auto Club's principal automotive engineer. "With an estimated 210 million vehicles on the road in the U.S., the proper use and disposal of vehicle batteries, tires and various types of automotive fluids are crucial to a healthy environment."

Leaking acid can be a source of poison to children and animals. Leaking lead eventually seeps into the ground, polluting the soil, contaminating backyards and water runoff, according to Mazor. Battery explosions can cause painful chemical burn injuries, he added.

A list of the 93 safe-drop off locations can be found at www.aaa-calif.com.

The roundup has been endorsed by a federal government agency. "The EPA applauds AAA in helping to protect the environment by sponsoring the AAA Great Battery Roundup on Earth Day," said Marianne Lamont Horinko of the EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "I encourage all Americans to participate in the Great Battery Roundup on Earth Day!"

Many batteries are illegally disposed in dumps and water sources, but many more are simply forgotten in someone's garage, carport, yard, storage unit or shed where they could contaminate soil and ground water, explode in a fire or become a source of lead poisoning to people and pets.

The Auto Club requests that:

-- Consumers wear leather or protective gloves and safety glasses when handling batteries.

-- For those transporting dead batteries for recycling, keep batteries upright and place them in a sturdy box or plastic container.

-- If the battery case is cracked or leaking, be especially careful to choose a leak-proof container.

-- Consumers should not smoke near, or expose the batteries to, an open flame and make certain they will not shift and tip over in a moving vehicle.

Individual consumers who have multiple batteries in need of pick up and recycling may call one of the 93 local collection points near their home and request transportation assistance during "The Great Battery Roundup(R)."

"Nearly 95 percent of a vehicle battery can be recycled, including reusing the lead," said Mazor. "Unfortunately, more than 5 million vehicle batteries are not returned for recycling each year."

During the rest of the year, the AAA Battery Service will support the effort by removing a used battery for recycling each time they install a replacement battery for an Auto Club member.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest AAA affiliate, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.