Our Approach

Battery-powered tools provide users convenience, performance and value and the demand for them has continued to grow.  As the marketplace leader in cordless power tools, Black & Decker strongly supports battery recycling and safety.

Policy and Practice

Currently, nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries are the power source of choice for portable power tools. However, when improperly discarded, these batteries have the potential to become a source, albeit small, of environmental cadmium. To minimize this risk, Black & Decker strongly supports the collection and recycling of spent NiCd batteries and is an active member of organizations in North America and Europe dedicated to collecting and recycling rechargeable batteries. We are proud of our pioneering efforts to establish the infrastructure through which consumers can ensure that their spent NiCd batteries are safely and responsibly managed.

In the U.S. and Canada, Black & Decker belongs to the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) and supports the activities of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC). PRBA is an organization of manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products. A Black & Decker representative serves on the PRBA Board of Directors. Through our role in PRBA we were instrumental in the formation of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a not-for-profit company established for the purpose of collecting and recycling rechargeable batteries within the U.S. and Canada. Through the network established by RBRC, spent NiCd batteries are collected and sent to facilities where they are processed to reclaim both the nickel and the cadmium content. Lithium ion and nickel metal hydride batteries are recycled for their metal content. Black & Decker and other participants pay for the cost of this collection and recycling effort so there is no cost to the consumer. RBRC is funded by more than 350 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products. RBRC's public education campaign and recycling program are the result of the rechargeable power industry's commitment to conserve natural resources and preserve the environment. Over 30,000 retail and community battery collection locations throughout the U.S. and Canada participate in RBRC's rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling program.  Drop-off locations can be found by visiting www.call2recycle.org or by calling toll free 877-2-RECYCLE. Collection centers include all DeWalt - Porter Cable - Delta Factory Service Centers and Black & Decker Factory Stores.

In Europe, Black & Decker is an active participant in efforts to encourage and support the recycling of portable rechargeable batteries. Black & Decker is currently a member of RECHARGE, an international association for the promotion and management of portable rechargeable batteries through their life cycle. A Black & Decker representative serves on the RECHARGE Board of Directors. The RECHARGE website (www.rechargebatteries.org) contains additional information about the association and specific directions for recycling spent batteries.

Additional countries have implemented programs for collecting and recycling rechargeable batteries. For information on NiCd battery collection sites around the world, please visit OECD's Directory of Nickel-Cadmium Battery Collection Facilities.

Since 1996, RBRC's recycling program has successfully diverted more than 42 million pounds of rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream. Over 6.3 million pounds of batteries were collected in 2007, an increase of 12% from 2006.

Effective January 1, 2008, a new U.S. Department of Transportation rule went into effect for air passengers traveling with lithium batteries. Details on the rule are available at the DOT website.