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The Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec is happy to announce that the number of drop-off centres for used batteries and portable accumulators has increased. There are now over 250 locations in Romania where consumers can bring used batteries.

‘We are delighted that our partners are open to the RoRec Association’s Project for the collection of portable accumulators and batteries, so our network is expanding all the time. As of May, we have increased the number of drop-off centres where citizens can hand over used batteries by 173 new locations, due to our new partnerships with the Agora, Altex, Flanco and Media Galaxy networks. Aviva, the insurance company, has also installed containers for the collection of this type of waste in 22 of its national offices,’ declared Mr. Liviu Popeneciu, president of RoRec.

Aviva has shown great interest for RoRec’s proposal to collect used batteries at its offices all over the country. We included this initiative in our company’s social responsibility programme so that we may bring our contribution to the Aviva European carbon footprint reduction campaign. The partnership with the RoRec Association allows us to achieve this goal, and we are helped by our employees, our clients and partners who visit our offices and are welcome to contribute to this collection exercise.

Our colleagues were eager to help and now, two weeks after the project was launched, the collection container at our central headquarters is almost full! This action is one in the series of social responsibility projects run by Aviva.

We would like to thank RoRec for this opportunity and our colleagues and partners for joining this project. Details on http://www.aviva.ro/Recicleaza-baterii-impreuna-cu-Aviva-si-Rorec-ss-113,338,10021.htm

Adriana Vincze, Aviva Romania

Altex, Media Galaxy and Flamingo have joined our efforts to protect the environment, offering an example worth following by all companies that distribute or sell batteries in Romania. As these large networks joined us, we are now present in over 250 locations in 75 towns, continuing to increase the number of partnerships with retail chains which already contribute to the effort of used batteries collection: Agora, Ambient, Baumax, G’Market, Metro, Obi, Praktiker, as well as private companies.

Only 8% of ‘batteries’ in the world are rechargeable accumulators, while 90% are single-use ‘general purpose’ batteries and 2% are small batteries (such as those used for watches), which require special treatment procedures in order to avoid that the toxic chemical substances they contain reach the environment.

On average, 65% of a battery’s components, such as zinc, magnesium, carbon and steel, can be recovered and reused. These elements have a financial impact as well, because the general costs for the extraction of such materials increase all the time, while the resources are diminishing. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the substances contained in one single battery can pollute 10 litres of water.

According to Government Decision 1132/2008, out of the total number of batteries sold in Romania, we must collect for recycling up to 25% per year until 2012 and 45% until 2016, respectively. Therefore, in less than two years, we must ensure that at least one out of four batteries sold enter the recycling process.

This project’s main objective is to improve performance when it comes to the quality of the environment (batteries contain toxic substances which are harmful for the environment as well as for our health) and the reduction of the number of batteries that reach the landfills.

Flanco continues the campaign for a healthy and clean environment through the batteries collection programme. We wish to run small, but continuous awareness-raising actions: planting trees, collecting products through 1:1 exchange programmes, and now, in our shops, through the batteries collection programme initiated by the Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec. As we contribute to the protection of the environment, we also attract customers who prefer green alternatives.

Raluca GHIURA, Flanco

Tags: battery collection , aviva , flanco