The world would be a very different place without batteries. They power tens of thousands of products we’ve come to rely on daily. For decades, batteries were just that – batteries. Buy, use and toss.
‘Everyone said making a battery with recycled battery material couldn’t be done, but our scientists wouldn’t take no for an answer. They discovered a way to refine and transform recycled material—true closed loop innovation—to make our (Energizer’s®) longest-lasting alkaline battery.’ – Michelle Atkinson, CMO Energizer,Inc.
Listening to consumers
Consumers crave much more from their batteries these days beyond just long-lasting. Understanding consumer desires in order to meet their wants and needs is one of Energizer’s key missions. Over the years the manufacturer has conducted in-depth consumer studies in multiple countries to better understand consumer demands.
Through that research, Energizer uncovered the need for both a high-performance and responsible product. The result? Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ —Energizer’s longest lasting alkaline battery on the market and the world’s first AA battery made with 4% recycled batteries.
Not only are Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ AA batteries made from 4% recycled batteries, they are also recyclable themselves (more about that later). Each Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ AA battery contains 4% recycled material by total weight. Today there is no other primary battery in the world made with recycled batteries. By design, Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ batteries are not rechargeable.
‘Consumers told Energizer that they wanted more than just long-lasting batteries. They wanted batteries that were reliable and responsible as well – so we knew we were onto something. Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ is another world’s first from the brand that delivers a high performance AA battery made with recycled batteries—4 percent today by weight, with a vision for more in the future.’ – Michelle Atkinson, CMO Energizer,Inc.
Using breakthrough proprietary technology and exclusive (recycling) partnerships, Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ batteries are made from refined and transformed battery material which is created into a high performance active ingredient. Energizer® believes this is the next step in their journey to bring performance and responsibility to the world.
Based on product testing, Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ is Energizer’s longest lasting alkaline battery on the market today – and more responsible than any other of their alkaline products which do not contain recycled material.
All part of the process
A recent assessment of the market revealed that the bottleneck isn’t lack of batteries being collected for recycling but rather the capacity of processing facilities. By introducing Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ to consumers, Energizer is creating value for recycled battery materials (which previously had little use or economic value).
And, creating material value drives expansion of processing capacity. In the not-to-distant-future, expanded processing will lead to a higher percent of recycled battery material in Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ and across Energizer’s battery portfolio.
Doing more with less
By using longer lasting batteries, consumers use fewer batteries and create less waste. Efficiency is the name of the game here. In addition, less virgin material is required in the Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ manufacturing process.
According to Energizer®, sourcing virgin materials drives more than seventy percent of the environmental impact of alkaline batteries, and they are committed to reducing waste through recycling and decreasing the need for virgin materials.
Energizer® manufactures these batteries right here in the U.S, and has secured exclusive partnerships with multiple suppliers around the world who will process the used post-consumer batteries.
‘We will continue to innovate and 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. And, in the future we envision all Energizer® batteries being made with some recycled battery material.’ – Michelle Atkinson, CMO Energizer,Inc.
Currently in the U.S. there are thousands of locations available to consumers to participate in battery recycling, and Energizer® encourages battery recycling (i.e. closing the loop) through a number of channels including its partnership with Earth911. Consumers can visit www.energizer.com/ecoadvanced to find a convenient location for proper recycling.
With science as a guide, Energizer® is leading the way on a journey to the future where robust recycling has a positive impact on the environment.
Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ is another significant step in Energizer’s journey to bring ‘positivenergy’ to the world. Join in the journey; find products coupons and more information at www.energizer.com/ecoadvanced.