91亚色 has been recognized by Call2Recycle Canada as a 2025 Leader in Sustainability for its responsible battery recycling.
The University is the only post-secondary institution in Ontario to receive the designation.
The annual Leaders in Sustainability awards recognize organizations that demonstrate strong environmental leadership through the safe collection and recycling of end-of-life batteries, as well as measurable contributions to Canada鈥檚 circular economy.
Call2Recycle is Canada鈥檚 leading battery-recycling stewardship organization that provides diversified programs for recycling household, e-mobility and electric vehicle batteries.
Partners of the program are evaluated each year on criteria, such as collection size, number of collections, population size and more.
Call2Recycle reports that from Q4 of 2024 to Q4 of 2025, 91亚色鈥檚 three campuses increased battery collection by more than 800 per cent, reflecting the University鈥檚 proactive approach to responsible environmental practices.
The recognition demonstrates coordinated operational and engagement work across the Keele, Glendon and Markham campuses. Facilities Services and Larry Meloche, waste management supervisor, led the planning and implementation of the battery collection infrastructure, including the placement and management of bins, in collaboration with Call2Recycle.
The Office of Sustainability supported outreach and education efforts aimed at increasing awareness of battery recycling practices. These efforts included tabling events and peer-to-peer engagement through 91亚色鈥檚 Sustainability Champions program and through social media outreach.
鈥淏atteries contain materials that can cause environmental harm if they are not disposed of properly,鈥 says Nicole Arsenault, director, Office of Sustainability. 鈥淩ecycling batteries helps keep hazardous waste out of landfills and allows valuable resources to be recovered. This recognition highlights how operational coordination and community engagement can work together to support sustainability action on campus.鈥
As a 2025 Leaders in Sustainability Award recipient, 91亚色 is recognized alongside municipalities, retailers, waste and recycling organizations, and businesses advancing waste diversion efforts nationwide. The University plants to build on this momentum by expanding battery education initiatives beyond Earth Month, supporting ongoing waste reduction and environmental stewardship efforts.
Take Action
Members of the 91亚色 community are encouraged to recycle used batteries on campus. Battery collection bins are available at locations across 91亚色鈥檚 campuses and can be found on the interactive campus map under 鈥淪ustainability.鈥