Energizer® EcoAdvanced™:
World’s First High-Performance AA Battery Made with 4 Percent Recycled Batteries
The Product
Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ is the world’s first AA battery made with 4 percent
recycled batteries by total weight. Energizer’s highest performing alkaline battery,
Energizer EcoAdvanced is closed loop innovation – taking a portion of worn-out
post-consumer batteries and making them into long-lasting new batteries.
Its Significance
Industry experts long believed it was impossible to create a battery made with
recycled batteries while maintaining performance. Energizer scientists have been
working on this solution for seven years, creating proprietary partnerships and an
innovative approach that refines and transforms post-consumer recycled battery
material into a high-performance active ingredient. This ingredient, used in
conjunction with energy rings, results in a long-lasting battery that has less impact
on the planet – both by requiring less mining of virgin material in the
manufacturing process and by reducing the amount of batteries consumers need
to power their devices. Energizer EcoAdvanced AA battery has achieved UL
(Underwriters Laboratories) Environment claim validation for being made with a
minimum of 4 percent recycled batteries.
The Horizon
Energizer is committed to bringing positive energy to the world by creating less
waste and working toward a future where all Energizer batteries are made with
some recycled battery material.
Our future innovation will continue to reduce the impact Energizer batteries have
on the planet. By 2025, our vision for Energizer EcoAdvanced is to increase the
amount of recycled battery material ten-fold to 40 percent.
Overcoming Challenges
Energizer EcoAdvanced is the first step in creating value for recycled battery
materials, which until today have had little or no economic value. This value
creation enables expansion of processing capacity – which is currently a
bottleneck. Working with our processing partners – Redux Recycling in Europe
and Retriev Technologies in North America – expanded processing capacity will
lead to a higher percent of recycled battery material in Energizer EcoAdvanced and
across Energizer’s battery portfolio.
In addition, recycling technology has now reached a stage where higher quantity
and quality of the battery materials help offset the environmental impact of
collecting, shipping, sorting and processing used batteries.
Leading the Industry
Energizer led the industry to redefine the strategy on battery collection and
recycling with industry partners. Energizer is working closely with Corporation for
Battery Recycling (CBR), the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA),
the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) and Energizer’s stewardship
partner Call2Recycle to develop model legislation for state-level collection and
recycling programs.
Since 2011, CBR has been working with stakeholders throughout the United States
to pilot collection and recycling that leverages the science and best practices to
ensure a positive environmental outcome as a foundation for the U.S. national
program. Six pilot programs are underway in the U.S. to optimize the system.
These programs provide insight to the optimal collection, shipping, sorting and
processing methods.
CBR’s vision for the future is for all battery manufacturers to participate in a
program that provides ready access to collection and recycling and has a positive
environmental impact.
Join the Journey
Consumers can visit www.energizer.com to find a nearby recycling location via
Energizer’s partner Earth 911.
Innovation Pioneer
Energizer EcoAdvanced is another in a long line of innovative “firsts” from
Energizer in the battery category. Energizer introduced Ultimate Lithium, the
world’s longest lasting AA and AAA batteries in high-tech devices, the world’s first
dry cell battery and the world’s first watch battery. Energizer was also the first to
remove mercury from alkaline and hearing aid batteries and the first to create
child-resistant packaging to mitigate coin cell ingestion by children, along with an
awareness campaign.