FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Drumheller District Solid Waste Management Association (DDSWMA) urges their member municipalities (listed below) and the communities within to

‘Protect What Matters. Be Battery Safe.’

• Kneehill County
• Village of Acme
• Village of Linden
• Starland County
• Village of Beiseker
• Village of Morrin
• Wheatland County
• Village of Carbon
• Village of Munson
• Town of Drumheller: (Nacmine, Rosedale, Wayne, Cambria, East Coulee)
• Village of Delia
• Village of Rockyford
• Village of Hussar
• Village of Standard 
• Town of Trochu

 New battery safety initiative to raise awareness & help prevent safety incidents

As of May 9, 2025 – the DDSWMA is partnering with Call2Recycle, Canada’s leading battery collection and recycling organization, to raise awareness about battery safety through its national initiative, Protect What Matters. Be Battery Safe. This collaboration aims to prevent battery-related fires and protect people, property, and the environment by adopting safe and responsible battery handling and recycling practices.

Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries power a wide range of everyday devices, from laptops and power tools to toys and e-mobility devices, including e-bikes, scooters, and hoverboards. While they bring incredible benefits, they are causing increased fire incidents across Canada, endangering lives, communities, and our environment.

This growing trend underscores the need for stronger consumer education on battery safety. The DDSWMA and Call2Recycle’s consumer battery recycling program, Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!, are collaborating to raise awareness on responsible battery purchasing, use, handling, and disposal to avoid potential risks.

"We're seeing a concerning rise in lithium-ion battery fires, which pose a significant threat to our community and put our workers and facilities at risk,” said DDSWMA “We urge our community members to take the time to adopt safe battery practices and recycle their used batteries through the 'Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!' program to protect themselves and our community.”

When batteries reach their end-of-life, recycling is critical in our fight to keep our communities safe, address climate change, and build a strong circular economy. By responsibly recycling batteries, hazardous materials are kept out of the garbage and Canadian landfills. Recycling also allows for the recovery and re-use of valuable resources, which can be used in the manufacturing of new products, like stainless steel products or even new batteries.

"We applaud the DDSWMA for taking a proactive approach to battery safety education," says Jon McQuaid, VP of Marketing, Communications & Innovation at Call2Recycle Canada. "Through 'Protect What Matters. Be Battery Safe.,' we're working with communities across Canada to provide Canadians with the knowledge they need to make safe and responsible choices about battery use and recycling."

The urges residents to Collect, Protect, and Drop Off to ‘Be Battery Safe’

• NEVER throw away batteries in the garbage or blue bins.
• Collect batteries in non-metal containers and store them safely.
• Protect batteries by covering exposed terminals with tape or bagging before storing or dropping them off for recycling.
• Drop Off batteries for recycling at [If your organization accepts batteries at your location, insert facility information, including address, hours of operation, and any other site-specific instructions.] or find a location near you at recycleyourbatteries.ca.

For more information about how to ‘Protect What Matters. Be Battery Safe’, visit Drumhellerlandfill.com or RecycleYourBatteries.ca/battery-safety/.

 About the Drumheller and District Solid Waste Management Association (DDSWMA)

In November of 1971, the Town of Drumheller (formerly the City of Drumheller) received a Refuse Disposal System Permit for a Sanitary Landfill.

In 1979 several rural municipalities joined with the Town of Drumheller (formerly the City of Drumheller) to form the Drumheller and District Solid Waste Management Association (DDSWMA). Their purpose, to serve the Municipal waste disposal needs for the Town of Drumheller (formerly the City of Drumheller), the former Municipal District of Badlands No.7, the Counties of Wheatland and Kneehill, and the Village of Beiseker. In 1995, the County of Starland joined the Association. The Association now consists of 15 Regional Members with 19 waste transfer stations.
The DDSWMA is approved by Alberta Environment and parks to operate a Class II Municipal Sanitary Landfill, which currently serves a population of approximately 30,000 and receives 20,000-25,000 metric tonnes of Municipal, Industrial & Commercial/Institutional waste per year.

The Drumheller & District Solid Waste Management Association (DDSWMA) is a Regional Landfill located in Drumheller Alberta, contrary to popular belief the DDSWMA is not operated by the Town of Drumheller. The DDSWMA operates as its own entity. Each Member County, Municipality, and Town has a representative on the DDSWMA board of directors.

Contact:

Sonya Adams – Manager of Landfill Operations: edo@drumhellerlandfill.com or 403-823-1345

Vicki Campbell – Administrative Assistant: admin@drumhellerlandfill.com or 403-823-1342

Information/Questions: info@drumhellerlandfill.com or 403-823-1343