News for April 21
| AAA Saddles Up For April 25 ~ Great Battery Roundup (posted by Public Affairs on April 21 @ 13:48 ) |
| While many motorists are aware of the need to keep their vehicles maintained to help prevent air pollution, AAA clubs nationwide are using the occasion of Earth Day in April to increase proper handling and disposal of vehicle maintenance products, especially lead-acid automotive batteries. AAA Southern New England will be holding the 2009 Great Battery Roundup on Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m.-Noon at selected locations (Complete list attached). The AAA Great Battery Roundup is designed to encourage the public to locate stray automotive or marine lead-acid batteries and bring them to a collection point where they can be safely picked up and shipped to a recycling center and formed into new batteries. Last year, AAA collected more than 1,500 batteries, and will again donate $2.00 to an environmentally or conservation-minded organization for every battery turned in. AAA will also provide free battery testing service to those who want their existing battery checked. “The impact of vehicle maintenance on the environment can be an overlooked aspect of responsible vehicle ownership,” said John Nardolillo, AAA Southern New England Vice President of Automotive Services. “With an estimated 230 million vehicles on the road in North America, the proper use and disposal of batteries, tires and various types of automotive fluids are crucial to a more healthy environment.” 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. Nearly 99 percent of a vehicle battery can be recycled and used again without removing new lead, or other natural resources from the environment. Unfortunately, some five million batteries are not returned for recycling each year. Many of these batteries are illegally disposed of in landfills and water sources, but many more are simply sitting in a forgotten corner of someone’s property where they could contaminate soil and groundwater, explode in a fire, or become a source of lead poisoning to humans and animals. AAA recommends that 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 batteries to an open flame, and make certain they will not shift and tip over in a moving vehicle. For more information on AAA’s environmental positions and activities, please visit the Public Affairs section of AAA.com and click on “AAA and the Environment.” AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 34 offices in Rhode Island and eastern and central Massachusetts, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services. |