Previously, these batteries were commonly made with silver, cadmium, or mercury. The flat, round batteries that power small items like watches, car keyless entry remotes, hearing aids, and fitness trackers are called button cell batteries or button batteries. Photo courtesy of James Bowe through Creative Commons Button cell batteries Button cell batteries. If you’re unable to find a local recycling option through the Earth911 recycling database, consider mail-in recycling programs such as those offered by TerraCycle (smaller containers also available) or The Big Green Box. Always call first to confirm your local store accepts these battery types. According to Call2Recycle, “there is currently no national stewardship solution to allow for free recycling of single-use batteries, except in Vermont.” But this doesn’t mean alkaline batteries are not recyclable.Ī number of national chains collect these batteries for recycling, including Batteries Plus and Home Depot, and your local hardware store may accept them for a fee. This is partly due to the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act passed in 1996, which phased out the use of mercury in alkaline batteries, making them less of a hazard when disposed of in landfills. How to recycle: Your local solid waste department may tell you to put alkaline batteries in with your regular trash. And because they’re not rechargeable, we need to have extra batteries around at all times in case the battery powering an essential gadget dies. They are also prevalent and widely available.Ĭons: Single-use batteries are generally considered more wasteful because we use them up and then throw them away when the power is depleted. Pros: Single-use batteries are produced on a greater scale than rechargeable batteries, making them initially cheaper to purchase. They power the household electronics you use every day, such as the TV remote control, toys, flashlights, and so much more. Standard single-use batteries include AA, AAA, D, 9-volt, 6-volt, and so forth. Single-use Batteries Alkaline single-use batteries You can use Earth911’s recycling search tool or Call2Recycle’s recycling search locator to find a battery recycling location near you. You need to take them to a separate location for recycling. Unless your local recycling service tells you otherwise, don’t put your batteries in your curbside recycling - they can create a hazard. Many of these materials can be harmful if they are not disposed of properly, so recycling batteries serves the dual purpose of preserving finite resources and protecting the environment. Depending on the battery type, it may contain mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel, silver, cobalt, lithium, or graphite. It’s important to recycle batteries to reclaim useful materials. According to Call2Recycle - which runs the United States’ largest battery recycling program - battery recycling was up 11% in 2020 with 8.4 million pounds of consumer batteries recycled, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This guide reviews common battery types you use at home and how to recycle them.īattery recycling is on the rise. When they no longer hold their charge, it’s always a good idea to recycle them – and in some cases, it’s the law. Americans purchase billions of batteries every year to power toys, cell phones, clocks, watches, laptops, portable power tools, rechargeable vacuums, radios, smoke detectors, remote controls, and so much more.
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