How to Recycle Battery-Recycling

Battery Recycling

We use batteries everyday for a number of reasons. It seems like almost everything we use today has some type of battery. With all this battery use there will come a time when the battery is no longer usable and it needs to be disposed of. For many people this means simply dropping them in the trash can. What most people do not know, though, is that disposing of a battery in the trash is not a good idea. Battery recycling is a much better option for many reasons.

Heavy Metal Toxins

One of the main reasons that batteries should not be thrown away with the regular garbage is that batteries contain toxic heavy metals. Such metals include:

Nickel cadmium
Alkaline
Mercury
Nickel metal hydride
Lead acid

While these metals are necessary to help the battery perform its desired function, when disposed of improperly, these metals can seep into soil and water sources, causing contamination. Problems that can occur include:

pollution tot lakes and streams
leaching from landfills
environmental exposure to heavy metals
burns and physical danger

Proper Disposal

The proper disposal of batteries is important. You should always search out the local rules and regulations about the proper ways to dispose of batteries. There are many different types of batteries and each type needs to be disposed of in a different way. It is important to know what type of batteries you have and how to properly dispose of them.

There are two main types of batteries - one use and rechargeable. Most people will have a variety of both kinds of batteries in their home. Here are some examples of each type and tips for how to recycle each kind of battery.

One use: These batteries include alkaline, carbon zinc and lithium manganese. These batteries should be recycled according to local recycling standards.

Rechargeable: These batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride and lithium ion. These batteries must be recycled. You should never throw them away in the garbage.

With the use of batteries being an almost everyday occurrence it is very serious for people to dispose of them properly with battery recycling. About 3 billion batteries are purchased each year and if those batteries are not recycled properly then they can cause serious harm. Proper battery recycling will help to protect the environment and will help to protect you and your family.