Local AAA Clubs Announce Battery Recycling Efforts Next Week

    ORLANDO, Fla.--April 13, 2001--Urging motorists to exercise greater care in the recycling of lead-acid vehicle batteries -- and establishing temporary collection points for used batteries in select cities -- will be the focus of AAA's Earth Day activities next week.
    During the week leading up to Earth Day, April 22, the nation's largest automobile club will be asking motorists nationwide to help remove one of the most potentially harmful cast-off consumer products from the environment during a new event called the AAA Great Battery Roundup.
    Local AAA clubs in the following areas have established special used battery collection points and have informed spokespersons available to discuss the battery recycling issue with national or area media.

--  AAA Arizona (Phoenix) 
    Contact: Laura Rightenburg, 602/650-2718

--  California State Automobile Association (San Francisco)
    Contact:  Justin O'Brien, 415/565-2313

--  AAA Auto Club South (Tampa, Florida)
    Contact:  Diane Jones, 813/289-1387

--  AAA Blue Grass/Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky)
    Contact:  Dan Dickson, 859/233-1111

--  AAA Missouri (St. Louis)
    Contact:  Michael Right, 314/523-6981

--  AAA Central West Jersey (Hamilton)
    Contact: Melissa O'Neil Walczak, 609/890-2220 / 2381

--  AAA Ohio Auto Club (Columbus)
    Contact: Susan Stewart, 614/431-7896

--  AAA Ohio Motorists Association (Cleveland)
    Contact:  Brian Newbacher, 216/606-6701

--  AAA Northwest Ohio (Toledo)
    Contact:  Eric Johnson, 419/843-1230

--  AAA Alliance (Alliance)
    Contact:  Debra McCullough, 330/823-9820

--  AAA Miami Valley (Dayton)
    Contact: Dave Hilt, 937/224-2886

--  AAA Tuscarawas County (New Philadelphia, Ohio)
    Contact:  Adam Bausch, 330/343-4481

--  AAA Oregon (Portland)
    Contact: Elliott Eki, 503/222-6729

--  AAA West Penn / West Virginia / South Central Ohio (Pittsburgh)
    Contact:  Bevi Norris, 412/365-7157

--  AAA Tidewater (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
    Contact:  Georjeane Blumling, 757/233-3825

    The AAA Great Battery Roundup is designed to encourage motorists to locate stray automotive or marine lead-acid batteries and head them to a local recycling collection point where they can be safely shipped to a recycling center and formed into new batteries.
    "Used vehicle batteries containing both lead and sulfuric acid are a toxic danger to humans and the environment -- as well as a potentially dangerous fire and safety hazard," said Marshall L. Doney, vice president of AAA Automotive Services.
    To encourage the recycling effort AAA clubs in select locations will be establishing local battery collection points and offering free vehicle battery checks utilizing AAA's specially equipped battery service vehicles, or stationary battery testers.
    "Nearly 99 percent of a vehicle battery can be recycled and used again without removing new lead, or other natural resources from the environment," said Doney. "Unfortunately more than seven million vehicle batteries are not returned for recycling each year."
    Many of these batteries are illegally disposed of in dumps and water sources, but many more are simply sitting in a forgotten corner of someone's property where they could contaminate soil and ground water, explode in a fire or become a source of lead poisoning to humans and animals.
    AAA requests consumers wear gloves and safety glasses when handling batteries, keep them upright and place batteries in a cardboard 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 or expose the batteries to an open flame, and make certain they will not shift and tip over in a moving vehicle.