Tips on Recycling Single Use Batteries
In 1996, the Battery Act was signed into law to address two fundamental issues according to the U.S. EPA: to phase out the use of mercury in rechargeable batteries and to provide collection methods and recycling/proper disposal of batteries. Batteries that end up in landfills and incinerators eventually end up in our environment and/or the food chain, causing serious health risks to humans and animals.
Not all created equal
All batteries can be categorized as either primary (single-use) batteries or secondary (rechargeable) batteries. Each type requires specific instructions to ensure it is properly discarded or recycled. The batteries consumers are more likely to use are for household uses, such as:
- Alkaline
- Carbon-zinc
- Lithium
- Nickel-cadmium (NiCd)
- Nickel metal hydride (NiMH)
- Button cell (lithium manganese)
- Lead-based (automotive and non-automotive)
What’s In & What’s Out
Each year, Americans throw out almost 180,000 tons of batteries. About 14,000 of those tons are rechargeable batteries; the rest are single-use. If we start replacing single-use batteries with rechargeables, we are not only saving money, but ensuring that fewer batteries end up in landfills as well.
Once rechargeable batteries reach the end of their usable life, recycling is a great option. Rechargeable batteries can be recycled at no cost to the consumer, ensuring the proper disposal of toxic chemicals often used in these batteries.
In many cities, there are retailers that will recycle most types of batteries; and if the battery is not recyclable, they will get rid of it safely.
