For Earth Day, AAA Plants Trees to Promote Car Battery Recycling

By Steve Tawa

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Members of AAA, the automobile advocacy and marketing organization, have an opportunity to be nice to the environment on this Earth Day -- and all this week -- by recycling that old car battery.

Through next Monday, the auto club is planting a tree in one of America's national forests for every battery it replaces, according to AAA spokesman Jim Lardear.

"Over the last five years, at the end of this program, we'll have planted 3,500 trees," he notes.

A typical vehicle battery includes hard rubber, plastics, lead, and sulfuric acid, Lardear tells KYW Newsradio, "and the idea that it's being safely recycled is just being a good environmental steward."

And if you have an old battery lying around, Lardear says, AAA Mid-Atlantic will take them in at its Car Care locations for recycling.

"AAA members and non-members alike can drop off their used car, motorcycle, or lawnmower batteries at one of our car care centers in Clifton Heights, Wayne, or Willow Grove, Pennsylvania."

Nationally, AAA has recycled more than eight million automotive batteries.

In:
• KYW Newsradio 1060
• Community
• Environment
• Earth Day
• Philadelphia