Every year, more and more small portable electronics, power tools, cell phones, and other portable devices are produced. One thing they all have in common is a battery. Americans purchase over 3 million dry-cell single-use batteries each year and almost 99 million wet-cell car batteries.
Batteries don’t last forever. Eventually they wear out and have to be disposed of. Depending on where you live, the disposal of some types of batteries in your ordinary household trash may be restricted or illegal. Batteries should never be incinerated, as that process can release hazardous chemicals into the air and create toxic ash.
Batteries are composed of mixtures of toxic chemicals and contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium, and silver, along with other materials needed to create the battery itself. Improper disposal of batteries can result in the leak of these chemicals and metals into the environment.
Batteries also contain some materials that are classified by the United States Geological Survey as “critical minerals.” These include cobalt, graphite, lithium, and manganese. A critical mineral is one that is at risk of limited supply and doesn’t have easy or readily available substitutes. Because of this, it is important to recycle these batteries when possible.
Batteries come in several varieties, and the type of battery determines how it should be disposed of. Understanding the differences will give you the confidence to properly dispose of your used batteries in an environmentally-safe method.
Alkaline or zinc-carbon batteries are intended for single use. They are the most common types of batteries for small devices, such as clocks, flashlights, smoke detectors, remote controls, game controllers, children’s toys, and wireless devices. These small batteries used to be produced with mercury and were considered hazardous waste.
But today, single-use ordinary batteries are manufactured using common metals that are deemed non-toxic by the federal government, including manganese, zinc, carbon, and potassium, and can be safely tossed into your regular trash.
Since these batteries could retain a small charge, you can make them safer by placing a piece of tape over the end of each terminal before placing in the trash. Alternatively, you can place each battery separately in a plastic zip-top bag or wrap in plastic wrap before depositing in your trash can.
The only exception is those small button batteries that you find in watches. These contain mercury and silver-oxide and should be disposed of in the same manner as a rechargeable battery, by recycling at a facility near you.
California is the only state with restrictions on placing alkaline batteries in the trash, mandating that all batteries, without exception, must be taken to a household hazardous waste (HHW) disposal or authorized recycling facility.
The benefit of using rechargeable batteries is that they can be used hundreds of times before they have to be replaced. Most computers, digital cameras, cell phones, and cordless power tools use reusable batteries.
The metals most commonly used in the production of these batteries include lithium-ion, lead, nickel-zinc, or nickel-metal hydride. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association reports that the demand for rechargeable batteries is growing twice as fast as demand for single-use batteries.
The only way to dispose of rechargeable lithium batteries is through is through special drop-off programs or your local household hazardous waste program. Rechargeable batteries should never bet placed in your trash or in a rental dumpster. The toxic metals are hazardous to the environment and is illegal in most states.
Most vehicle batteries have a lifespan of 3 to 4 years. When you need a new battery for your car, truck, boat, motorcycle, powersport vehicle, or small equipment, you should plan on leaving your old battery with the automotive parts retailer.
Automotive batteries contain lead and acid, which can be harmful to the environment and human health. While a sealed battery is safe, these toxins can be released if a battery is damaged during disposal. Thus, a car battery cannot be tossed into your regular residential trash collection or recycled with other typical recyclables.
Instead, you can recycle your vehicle battery through a municipal recycling facility, a metal recycling business, or at most automotive supply retailers. In fact, many will actually pay you to bring in your old battery. Americans are generally good about recycling car batteries, with over 90% recycled instead of ending up in our landfills.
Any devices that are powered by ordinary batteries (AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt) can take rechargeable batteries. Today, nearly one in five dry-cell batteries is rechargeable, and that number is expected to increase.
Advances in technology has improved the lifespan of rechargeable batteries. You can expect these batteries to last from 2 to 7 years, depending on how much you use them. A single reusable battery can substitute for hundreds of single-use batteries. For maximum convenience, look for a charger that can accept different sizes of batteries at the same time.
Some small electronics, such as a fan, printer, computer mouse, or small lights can be wired or plugged into a USB port. You can also look for plug-in varieties of other small devices. This will allow you to forgo battery usage for these devices altogether. If you need to have a completely portable device, look for a plug-in rechargeable unit instead of one that uses batteries only.
Although it is safe to throw your single-use alkaline batteries in the trash, recycling them is the better choice. In this way, the valuable and often scarce metals can be removed and reused. Check with your local municipal resources to find out where you can recycle batteries in your community.
Earth911.com is the largest recycling database in the nation. You can use their website to find battery recycling locations near you. You can even mail in your batteries for recycling.
The Big Green Box is a nationwide program that offers businesses and consumers the opportunity to recycle batteries by mailing them in. You buy a shipping box, fill it up, and ship it via a scheduled pick up to your home or office.
Batteries should be stored in their original packaging if possible. Keep batteries of different ages and types separate. All batteries, both single-use and rechargeable, should be stored at room temperature. Avoid extremes of cold or heat and never store batteries in direct sunlight or in a humid environment. Keep your batteries away from other metal objects to prevent short-circuiting or discharging.
We’ll end with one final note of caution. It can be easy to forget to remove old batteries when you are disposing of a small electronic device. Remember to remove batteries when disposing of devices and don’t leave the batteries in when tossing. Federal law requires that manufacturers make battery removal easy and that they label batteries as eligible for recycling. By making this a habit when discarding your small electronics and devices, you can be sure that your old batteries won’t end up in a landfill.
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