Should Old Batteries Be Disposed Of In A Bin?
A: Simply put, NO! There are a lot of unwanted items and debris that you can throw away as trash in your household bin, but there are other items such as batteries that you should avoid including with your general household waste as we will explain below.
Why Should Old Batteries Not Be Disposed Of In A Bin?
A: First, it is important to keep in mind that there are two main types of batteries – Primary Batteries (batteries that are only used once), and, Secondary Batteries (also known as rechargeable or reusable batteries).
Most of these batteries usually contain trace and/or heavy amounts of toxic metals including:
• Lithium
• Cadmium
• Zinc
• Copper
• Mercury
• Lead
• Potassium
• Manganese
All these metals have very harmful effects on human health and the environment. Note that these metals have the capability of leaching into ground water when improperly disposed for example in landfills – which is where most household waste collected in bins ends up. For this reason, you should avoid placing old batteries in bins as the toxic metals found within will almost invariably end up leaching into the ground and poisoning any water supply that is in close proximity.
How Should I Dispose Of Batteries I No Longer Need?
A: The exact answer to this question will depend on the exact type of battery that you are dealing with. However, generally speaking, there are several safe and effective battery disposal options you can explore instead of dumping unwanted batteries in your bin. One of the safest and most recommended ways to get rid of batteries is to take them to a local battery bank.
Battery banks are stations that are usually pre-selected by local authorities in frequently visited public spaces such as supermarkets and other leisure stations where you can drop of any dead or unwanted batteries in your home for safe and proper disposal or recycling. As a side point, you might want to take a look at smart UPS smt3000rmi2u.
What Should I Do With The Dead Batteries From My Home Appliances?
A: With the increased number of wireless devices that are battery-powered in most homes today, it is important to learn how to properly and sustainably get rid of dead batteries.
We recommend that you carefully consider the type of battery you are dealing with to understand how to best get rid of it once it is dead. Remember that as we mentioned earlier, there are single-use and rechargeable batteries. The most ideal way to dispose each type of battery usually varies. For example, you should not handle the disposal of single-use batteries like the ones used in remotes the same you would handle the disposal of rechargeable batteries like those used by a laptop.
Note that depending on local and state laws, it may be illegal (and it most likely is) to simply throw dead batteries away.
What Is The Best Way To Get Rid Of Single-Use Batteries & Can I Throw Dead Single-Use Batteries In My Household Trash?
A: Single-use batteries are the most common batteries in most homes. They come in a variety of sizes including (but not limited to), AA, AAA, D-cell, 9V. The typical applications of single-use batteries is usually mostly in small appliances such as TV and Radio remotes, children’s toys and flashlights. For clarity, note that any non-rechargeable battery is considered as a single-use battery.
If you are wondering if you can get rid single-use batteries in the trash, the answer is YES, UNLESS you live in California where the laws outlaws the dumping of any kind of batteries (be they rechargeable or single-use).
The reason the Federal Government allows homeowners to dump single-use batteries in the trash today is that their production is heavily regulated with almost all types of single-use batteries containing common metals that are deemed non-toxic. In the years before 1996, most single-use batteries contained mercury which was deemed to be highly toxic to both humans and the environment hence the strict disposal regulations.
NOTE: Today, there is one type of single-use battery which contains harmful elements and must thus be disposed safely and carefully like a rechargeable battery. This is the button cell battery which is primarily found in watches.
Can I Recycle Single-Use Batteries?
A: Yes, it is entirely possible to recycle single-use batteries but there are usually costs attached to recycling them.