Your Guide to Disposing of Batteries
Posted by lindseyshoe
How to safely get rid of batteries, even a battery that has a little charge left in it. Facts and statistics regarding batteries, their use and the potential dangers to our homes, children and the environment. Learn how to dispose of your alkaline and rechargeable batteries as well as ways to cut down on the expensive of batteries for your tools, games and electronics. Your guide to disposing of batteries is coming up.
In the United States, more than any other country we are “hooked up and hooked in” to all that technology has to offer. From hand held games to other portable devices, we are quite often attached to an electrical outlet or changing our batteries. It is reported that Americans throw away approximately 84,000 tons of alkaline batteries in the form of A, AAA, and C size annually. This means we are disposing of batteries to the tune of 168,000 pounds of waste every year, and that doesn’t include 9 volts, car batteries, etc.
These batteries are commonly used in children’s toys and hand held games and make up approximately 20% of the hazardous materials found in landfills. It is also estimated that 3 million batteries are purchased each year in the U.S. These batteries are used to power cell phones, hearing aids, hand held games, watches, laptop computers, radios, toys and power tools, just to name a few.
What are some of the dangers of using and disposing of batteries?
Batteries are dangerous for children and the environment. Tossed out batteries can result in landfills containing hazardous chemical waste. Every year thousands of children are harmed by swallowing batteries or inserting them into their noses. Batteries can get “stuck” in a child’s esophagus and digestive track resulting in damage to the stomach lining within just a few short hours. Swallowed batteries can obstruct the airway or throat. Even the small disc or button shaped batteries can be dangerous. Chemical burns can result in a child’s mouth, lips and tongue due to the alkaline contents which can leak from the battery.
Dry cell batteries contribute approximately 50% of the cadmium and approximately 88% of the total mercury content found in municipal solid waste streams. The heavier metals such as mercury may end vaporize and end up in the air. Cadmium may be released into the ash of the burnt trash at landfills and refuse disposal facilities, to later leak into the air and ground.
By tossing your used batteries, from electronics to car batteries into the trash, the end result is that the chemicals contained in batteries ends up in landfills. All the harmful chemicals that make our batteries a major source of power can be released into our water, air and ground, now putting our water supply, the air we breathe and the ground we grows plants in at risk.
Guide to Disposing of Batteries
Remove batteries immediately upon loss of power. If not, they could leak. Store them in a Ziploc bag or other sealed container until you can dispose of them properly. Did you know that in some states, like California, it is against the law to dispose of batteries in your everyday trash? It is mandated that they be recycled.
Dispose of regular alkaline batteries by visiting Earth911.org or calling them at 1-800-CLEANUP and finding locations in your zip code that will accept batteries for disposal or recycling. You can also contact your local sanitation department and ask them for instructions regarding not only the disposal of your used batteries ,but many other household items that may be considered hazardous waste. These items may be recyclable (for example, used motor oil).
According to Duracell, their products no longer contain mercury, and as a result, they advise that their batteries may be disposed of in the regular trash. However, it is still recommended by many experts that you also place them in a plastic bag before trashing them, to protect you and your family from leaks.
It is also important not to dispose of your batteries in bunches or large amounts. Used batteries still may contain a small charge, but when placed together it can bring those little charges to life, causing safety risks from sparks, explosions, or fire.
Never burn batteries, as this can result in explosions and harmful releases of chemicals.
What about rechargeable batteries?
Rechargeable batteries are an alternative to alkaline batteries. You can use them over and over again by recharging them for power. However, even rechargeable batteries eventually need to be disposed of safely. One way of disposing of rechargeable batteries is to recycle them. Many stores and retailers will accept your used batteries when you purchase new ones. Among these stores are: Alltel, Batteries Plus, Best Buy, Black & Decker, Cingular Wireless, The Home Depot, RadioShack, Sears, Staples, Target, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless, and Wal-Mart. In Canada, the following stores will accept your batteries for disposal: Battery Plus, Bell Mobility, Canadian Tire, FIDO/Microcell, Future Shop, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, London Drugs, Makita Factory Service Centers, Personal Edge/Centre du Rasoir, RadioShack Canada, Revy, Sasktel, Sears, The Sony Store, Telus Mobility and Zellers.
Other locations for disposing of rechargeable batteries can be found on the website Rechargeable Battery Recycling Coalition located at www.rbrc.org or you can call them at 1-800-8Battery.
We use batteries to power many things. This means we need to find responsible ways of disposing of this very necessary convenience. But not only can we find responsible disposal methods; we can also purchase batteries only when needed and use rechargeable batteries whenever possible. One other alternative is to use electronics and other items that don’t need batteries. For example, SEE Toys are powered by a hand crank, and use no batteries. The selection of items available is growing. Electronics, power tools and other items are available in rechargeable power form, so that we may charge them and use them. Among these are the household products like the Swiffer Sweeper Vac or HP’s Digital Cameras or lawn and garden products like the Toro Cordless Electronic Trimmer, all powered by electricity instead of batteries. By using all of these methods; careful purchases, alternative products, rechargeable batteries and proper disposal of used alkaline batteries we can not only cut down on the effects upon the environment, but also find methods of entertainment that keep our children safer and our world that much cleaner.
2 Responses to “Your Guide to Disposing of Batteries”
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Hugo says:
Ever since AT Batteries
Cool! I’m hopeing that the site will be usefull for anyone not on the American continent, Thanks, I will check it out.