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ATLANTA, December 25, 2002 — Did you get what was on your wish list this holiday season? Studies predicted that more than 75 percent of consumers would purchase at least one cordless electronic product as a gift – like a portable CD player, a digital camera, or a cordless or cellular phone – which means a lot more people are walking around “unplugged.”

However, many people may not know that the rechargeable batteries that power the latest and greatest portable gadgets and gizmos on their gift lists can and should be recycled when they can no longer hold a charge.

With so many “batteries required” products, make sure to follow these tips from the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) to maximize the use of your rechargeable batteries:

• Follow the charging guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Depending on the individual product, there are specific initial battery charging times (usually overnight) before using the product for the first time. This will enable you to obtain maximum battery capacity.
• Let your battery cool to room temperature before recharging. The charge efficiency of most batteries is greatly reduced at elevated temperatures
• Recharge batteries when they are near to fully discharged. You can tell that a battery is discharged by a sharp drop in power or speed.
• Keep the contact of rechargeable batteries clean – wipe them with a cloth soaked in alcohol.
• Never return a fully-charged battery to the charger for an extra boost. This will overcharge the cells and shorten the life of the battery.
• Never leave your cellular phone, camcorder, etc., in the charger when not charging, unless approved by the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t use your charger as a stand! Continuous charging will shorten battery life.
• Never leave your cellular phone, camcorder, etc., in the charger when not charging, unless approved by the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t use your charger as a stand! Continuous charging will shorten battery life.
• If your rechargeable battery will no longer hold a charge, don’t throw it away – recycle it! Call 1-800-8-BATTERY or go online at www.rbrc.org to find the nearest retail site or recycling center.

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a nonprofit, public service organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling. There are over 30,000 retail and community battery collection locations throughout the U.S. and Canada that participate in RBRC’s battery recycling program. RBRC’s public education campaign and battery recycling program in the U.S. and Canada – Charge Up to Recycle!® – is the result of the rechargeable power industry’s commitment to conserve natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream. Consumers can find the nearest drop-off location by going online at www.rbrc.org or calling toll free 1-800-8-BATTERY. RBRC was named the 2002 “Environmental Partner of the Year” by The Home Depot.

About Call2Recycle®
Call2Recycle is the industry’s first and only product stewardship program for rechargeable batteries. The nonprofit program is administered by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a public service organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling. There are more than 30,000 Call2Recycle drop-off locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. More than 175 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products show their commitment to conserve natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream by funding the Call2Recycle program. In pursuit of its mission, Call2Recycle also collects old cellphones, which are either recycled or refurbished and resold when possible with a portion of the proceeds benefiting select charities. For more information, call 877-2-RECYCLE or visit www.call2recycle.org.