Nickel-Cadmium Batteries (NiCd)

The nickel cadmium battery was the first rechargeable battery that was reasonably priced and available in the standard cylindrical sizes (AA, AAA, etc.). These batteries come in two types: vented cells and hermetically sealed cells. Vented cells must be positioned so they can vent properly and also require water for maintenance. They are commonly used in commercial and military applications. Hermetically sealed batteries, however, do not require any maintenance and they do not need to be specially positioned.

NiCd batteries are used in low- to moderate-discharge devices such as scanners, portable radios, cordless phones and power tools. Since these batteries contain cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, they require special disposal. In the U.S., there is a fee built into the price for nickel cadmium batteries which includes proper disposal of the batteries at the end of their lifetimes through the RBRC program. All NiCd batteries are identified by the EPA as hazardous waste and must be recycled. The recycling process recovers cadmium and iron-nickel for steel production.