It may seem trivial to a lot of people. Just toss them in the trash. Everyone else does, why should I recycle? Even landfills say that it is ok to just throw away alkaline batteries in the trash.
It seems like everything today is powered by some type of battery. Cell phones, cars, boats, lawn mowers, drills, saws, yard blowers, hearing aids, watches, mice, speakers, radios, flashlights, TV’s. We are constantly replacing batteries in our remotes. And how many remotes do we have?
It seems like every day I am replacing a battery in something. Just think about it. Taking just a little bit of time and not much space, you can collect your dead batteries and drop them of to be recycled when you have enough to make that one more stop at a recycling place. In fact, you probably go to recycling places several times a week and don’t know it.
The most common batteries are alkaline and lithium-ion. Everyone has a battery drawer full of AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt batteries. If you have newer flashlights or home security accessories you may also have CR123A batteries.
I personally have been moving to rechargeable batteries whenever I can. They do cost more and from my experience the recharges might not last quite as long as new batteries, but the big advantage is that they don’t go into the recycling pile as soon.
On the subject of rechargeable batteries..
Rechargeable AA batteries, typically NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) or Li-ion (Lithium-ion), can be recharged a varying number of times, generally between 500 and 1000 cycles before their energy storage capacity significantly declines. Factors like battery quality, charging methods, and usage patterns can affect this lifespan.
Now where was I?
Check with your local enviromental services department for local places that accept batteries. Remember batteries that are leaking or corroded may not be accepted. Keep those batteries separated from good dead ones.
Two questions many people ask are #1 how do I store batteries before recycling and #2 where do I take them.
How to collect and store batteries to be recycled?
Storing batteries before recycling is really easy. Just find a small container like a plastic pimento cheese container or a small box. To be real safe, place the AA, AAA, C and D batteries vertical not just thrown in there. You can use a paper towel wadded up to help keep them upright. For 9 Volt batteries, place a piece of electrical tape on the top terminals to keep them from shorting out or causing a fire.
Where to drop off batteries to be recycled?
Stores that accept household batteries for recycling include Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Batteries Plus and Office Depot to name a few. Call first just to be sure. For lead acid batteries, your best option is to take them to retailers that sell new lead acid batteries like Walmart, Advance Auto, Napa and other auto parts stores. Your local landfill may accept them as well.
Bottom Line
Most people just trash their batteries when they die. Or. Just look the other way because everyone else does it, right? You don’t have to be a tree hugger to care about our environment. Just take a little time to store your dead batteries in a drawer or container and once a year take them with you on your errands and drop them off at one of many recycling centers near you.
I hope you enjoyed this recycling reminder. If you would like to share your recycling ideas with us all, please feel free to leave a comment below 🙂
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