Scrap Recycling Forum

Types of battery
There are a number of different types of household batteries used by householders for a variety of purposes. The three main types are:

Wet-cell: Lead acid batteries used to power vehicles and by industry.

Dry-cell non-rechargeable: These are the most common types of household battery.

General purpose disposable household batteries include:

Zinc carbon used in low drainage appliances such as torches, clocks, shavers and radios.
Zinc chloride used in similar applications.
Alkaline manganese used in personal stereos, radio-cassette players. Less prone to leaking than the above two types and longer lasting.
Primary button cells:

Mercuric oxide used in batteries for hearing aids, pacemakers, photographic equipment.
Zinc air - an alternative to mercuric oxide button cells - used for hearing aids and radio pagers.
Silver oxide used for electronic watches and calculators.
Lithium used for watches and photographic equipment.
Dry-cell rechargeable - general purpose rechargeable batteries for the above uses, and also including Nickel cadmium, Nickel metal hydride and Lithium-Ion batteries used in power tools, cordless appliances, mobile phones etc.

Nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries represent one of the fastest growing sectors in the battery market. Used for cordless power tools, personal stereos, portable telephones, lap-top computers, shavers, motorised toys etc, with a life of 4-5 years.
Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are a less environmentally harmful alternative to NiCd and tend to have a longer life.
Lithium ion (Li-Ion) batteries have a greater energy storage capacity than NiCd and NiMH batteries.
Using rechargeable batteries reduces the number of batteries requiring disposal, but 80% of them contain nickel cadmium, a known human carcinogen, and therefore need to be disposed of safely.

Battery Recycling
Laptops, MP3 players, toys, cell phones—these are just some of the products that require different types of batteries in our daily lives. Over 3 billion dry cell batteries are sold each year in the U.S. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 350 million rechargeable batteries alone are purchased in the U.S. each year.

Batteries are a unique product, some of which are comprised of toxic components. Rechargeable batteries include heavy metals like cadmium. Some of the different types of batteries available include alkaline, lithium manganese, zinc, silver oxide, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium-ion and lead acid, which can threaten our environment if not properly discarded or handled.

There are many ways to recycle single use and rechargeable batteries, most of which depends on the type of battery you have. You can also reduce waste with prevention. Starting with prevention creates less or no leftover waste to become potentially hazardous. There are a few easy ways to reduce household battery waste.

Buy only what you need - check to see if you already have the batteries on hand before buying more
When suited to the task buy hand operated items that function without batteries
Look for the batteries that have less mercury and heavy metals
Consider rechargeable batteries for some needs, but remember that they also contain heavy metals such as nickel-cadmium
Rechargeable batteries can be recycled and there are many locations available at Earth911
Battery recycling and reuse can have a positive impact towards our reduction of battery waste and pollution.

Where to Recycle Your Batteries
Recycling of non rechargeable batteries is still somewhat rare, but recycling used RECHARGEABLE household batteries is now possible! The battery manufacturers have funded a joint recycling center. To find a center near you that will take them, click here! (in the US or Canada))( Which types do they take? Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion), and Small Sealed Lead* (Pb) rechargeable batteries are commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, digital cameras, two-way radios, camcorders and remote control toys.

Note that California is a bit of a special case. California regulations require recycling for more types of batteries than other states. See this page for detailed information about how and where to recycle batteries in California.

For more information about the program and the sponsors, click on Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation

If you can't find a location above:
Take the rechargeable batteries to any of the participating retailers. In the U.S.: Alltel, Batteries Plus, Best Buy, Black & Decker, Cingular Wireless, The Home Depot, Milwaukee Electric Tool, Orchard Supply, Porter Cable Service Center, RadioShack, Remington Product Company, Sears, Staples, Target, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless, and Wal-Mart. And in Canada: Battery Plus, Bell Mobility, Canadian Tire, FIDO/Microcell, Future Shop, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, London Drugs, Makita Factory Service Centers, Personal Edge/Centre du Rasoir, RadioShack Canada, Revy, Sasktel, Sears, The Sony Store, Telus Mobility and Zellers.

Use the RBRC collection site locator, or call the consumer helpline, 1-800-8-BATTERY, to find the retail collection site nearest you.

Non-rechargeable (typically "alkaline batteries") still don't have a recycler and general just must be disposed in the trash. If you have large quantities or are a business, talk with your permitted sanitary landfill operator (otherwise known as "sanitation services", the "dump" or "landfill"). Waste batteries should not be burned because of the metals, and they could explode. When burned, some heavy metals such as mercury may vaporize and escape into the air, and cadmium and lead may end up in the ash.

Click here for one more place to try to find a recycling location near you if none of the options above were suitable.

Contact your local or county health department, waste disposal operator, extension educator, recycling facility, call the EPA Hotline and ask for a copy of the publication: "Used Dry Cell Batteries" - phone (800) 424-9346. This publication does not address nonhousehold waste battery sources such as medical, business, etc.

Yes we can recycle the batteries but we cannot use it as a whole . Only certain parts of the battery can be reused.Take proper precautions when handling and disposing of them as it may be dangerous.

Damaged batteries can be transported with intact batteries when properly contained. Battery reclaimers have recommended that damaged batteries be stored and transported in two six millimeter polyethylene plastic bags. These batteries can be transferred along with intact spent batteries. If a cap is missing from a spent battery, it should be replaced.

Not all the batteries are recyclable. Batteries contain maximum of Lithium inputs to sustain long life. But once it become obsolete the battery contents results in harmful effect to the environment hence it should be disposed properly. If you are just throwing away means the place where it gets buried becomes totally worthless and no life can come out of it.