Energize Your Batteries
How to dispose of batteries
May/June 2004
By Abbie Enyart
PROBLEM:
Every year, billions of alkaline batteries are bought, used, and thrown into landfills where their heavy metals leach into soil and water. Despite this, some people recommend discarding non-rechargeable alkaline batteries in your household trash.
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SOLUTIONS:
- Buy rechargeable batteries that can be reused. (Virtually any place that sells them accepts them back for recycling.)
- Charge alkaline batteries with a 12-volt Battery Charger from RealGoods.com.
- Find out if your municipality’s waste management bureau recycles alkaline batteries.
- Recycle nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium-ion (Li-ion) and small sealed-lead (Pb) batteries with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation. Check RBRC.org to find a drop-off location.