3 Questions About Why You Shouldn't Throw Batteries Away

Do you have batteries at your home that are dead or no longer holding their charge? If so, you should consider recycling your batteries. Here are some questions about why you shouldn't throw those batteries into the trash

Is There An Environmental Risk To Throwing Out Batteries?

Batteries contain various chemicals that are taken from heavy metals, which are poisonous even when they are in very small amounts. If a battery is thrown into the trash, it will eventually make its way into a landfill. These old batteries will leach out those chemicals and eventually get into the groundwater, where they can affect plants and wildlife in the area. 

If the batteries are mixed in with waste that is marked to be incinerated, those batteries can release very toxic fumes during the incineration process. This can put the people working to incinerate the trash in danger due to your decision to throw away batteries. 

How Are Batteries Recycled?

It is possible to dispose of batteries the right way by recycling them. The process starts by breaking apart the battery so that the lead and heavy pieces are separated from the light and plastic pieces. All plastic can be washed and recycled to be used in other plastic items. The lead component of a battery is put into a smelting furnace, where it will become molten and allow the impurities to be separated from the lead. The remaining lead can then be used to make brand-new batteries. The battery acid is neutralized so that it turns into water, or the acid is converted into sodium sulfate so it can be used in various manufacturing processes. This includes textile manufacturing, glass, and even laundry detergent. 

Can All Batteries Be Recycled?

If you have a rechargeable or disposable battery, it can be recycled quite easily and should not be thrown in the trash. Many cities have battery recycling locations where you can drop these batteries off, or there are companies that will handle it for you. If you are dealing with a heavy-duty automotive battery, these need to be treated differently and collected by a company that specializes in recycling them. 

If a battery is leaking acid, it is important that you put the battery in its own container and keep it away from the other batteries that are being recycled. The battery acid can cause the other batteries to corrode, and cause problems with recycling them at a later date.