Recycling BatteriesAmericans use a lot of portable electronic devices, from cameras and CD players to notebook computers and PDAs. One thing all of these devices have in common is batteries, and as they run out of power, we end up with piles of them, both rechargeable and non-rechargeable, that need to be disposed of. Since the chemicals inside batteries are often toxic, what's the proper way to get rid of them?
Jim Tessmar is the owner of The Battery Hut in Burbank, Calif. Here he fills us in on the best ways to dispose of used batteries: - Recycle rechargeables. Even rechargeable batteries eventually go bad, as they are designed to be recharged a finite number of times. Once a rechargeable is dead, you cannot simply throw it in the trash. The law requires you to recycle all rechargeable batteries, and the best way to do it is to take the battery back to the store you bought it from. By law, any store selling such batteries will be a proper disposal facility, and must take them back.
- Nickel cadmium. Nicad, or nickel cadmium batteries, are especially toxic, and should never end up in a landfill, where the carcinogenic cadmium could leach into groundwater. Taking them back to the store will ensure that they don't end up in the normal waste stream.
- Non-rechargeables. Current law does not dictate the recycling of primary, or non-rechargeable batteries like alkaline, lithium or titanium batteries. But these batteries contain potentially harmful chemicals as well, and recycling them is still the best thing to do. Take them back to a battery store for disposal, or to any municipal recycling center that accepts old batteries. It's good for the environment and for the health of future generations. Old batteries are often melted down to make new ones, so recycling is even good for keeping the price of batteries down!
For more information on batteries and battery recycling, check out the following organizations and websites:
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation
www.rbrc.org/index.html?sp=true
Battery Solutions
www.batteryrecycling.com
Duracell: Care and Disposal
www.duracell.com/care_disposal
Energizer
www.energizer.com | 
)
