I’ve covered batteries a bit lately including how to look after lithium ion batteries as well as how to replace a battery in a MacBook Pro but I haven’t covered how to thoughtfully dispose of batteries.
It can be tempting and convenient to throw batteries in the general garbage or try to rationalise that they might go in the recycle bin because they contain metal. However, those are not the best way to deal with sick, dying or dead batteries. You should always strive to take your batteries to a battery recycler (such as Battery World).
Any sort of battery (be it a AAA battery or a battery from a hybrid vehicle) that ends up going to landfill does end up impacting the environment however large or small. Controlling the ultimate fate of batteries and reusing their components where possible helps to minimise wastage and make the best use of finite resources on the plant (as they will run out some day).
Also, like most things, batteries will start to break down and degrade as time progresses so it’s a good idea to avoid leaving batteries lying around when they are no longer useful. Corroded batteries can be quite dangerous particularly when left near reactive things like fuel while lead acid batteries can cause damage if the fluid leaks out.
Next time you are about to throw out batteries, think about the best way to dispose of them. You might also like to round up batteries from neighbours to make the trip worth your while. To look up where you can recycle all sorts of stuff check out Recycling Near You.
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