Dive Brief:
- Energizer announced the launch of the Energizer EcoAdvanced battery, which the company touts as “the first disposable AA and AAA alkaline batteries made with recycled batteries.”
- The batteries are made from 4% recycled materials, and the company has set a goal to reach 40% recycled composition in its batteries by 2025.
- The company researched the process of reusing manganese and zinc for seven years before finding a way to create the recycled battery without diminished quality.
Dive Insight:
Energizer said there are a limited number of recycling plants that have the necessary technology in place to extract the materials from used batteries, leading to the small percentage. The company said that as the recycled battery’s popularity grows, more recycling plants are expected to start processing batteries, eventually paving the way for costs to drop.
The cost of the recycled battery will be 25% to 30% greater than standard batteries; however, the batteries are expected to last longer than other consumer batteries produced by Energizer, according to the chief marketing officer and vice president for Energizer, Michelle M. Atkinson.