Is battery recycling really recycling?

[no_joke]

So I guess you can take your batteries to Best Buy and Ikea for recycling but how green is this? Are the batteries taken to some kind of facility where they strip them down to make new batteries? Or, are they just sent to a dump in SE China or Nigeria where some poor souls have to scavenge through them looking for precious metals a la old computers?

[risqu3]

i found this doing a little google search

http://www.longboatkey.org/Departments/PWK/battery_recycle.htm

http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/consumer/consumer_program.html

[jayk]

i found this doing a little google search

http://www.longboatkey.org/Departments/PWK/battery_recycle.htm

http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/consumer/consumer_program.html

your search yielded US sites if you had read them more carefully

[naxos98]

When you recycle a battery, it should get disposed of properly (ie any toxic chemicals, heavy metals are disposed of properly) so they don't leach into the ground. The amount that is actually recyclable depends on the battery.

[ullyeus]

your search yielded US sites if you had read them more carefully

so the information isn't useful in them?

[nelsonmp5]

saw a story on market place, there is a national rechargeable battery recycling program but no non-rechargeable program
there are some organizations that collect batteries but i think they're only diverting not "recycling"

[gmark2000]

I've got about 20lbs of used/dead non-recyclable batteries collecting in a bag in my office because I didn't want to dump them in the garbage. Who can I take these to??

[YLSF]

I am also interested in what happens in Canada. I think more retailers are taking back batteries,etc which is a good thing as long as they are doing something with them that ensure they are treated correctly....

I collect all my old batteries too. Was going to go to the dump eventually but haven't made it yet. I have some old UPS batteries too not sure if I can bring them there also? (They have a battery collection program in Halton... but, it is suppose to be for "personal" use only... I have a LOT of stuff because I have been collecting it for a few years so hopefully they aren't jerks about it)

[IronMac]

saw a story on market place, there is a national rechargeable battery recycling program but no non-rechargeable program
there are some organizations that collect batteries but i think they're only diverting not "recycling"

Did you even watch the episode? The batteries are recycled and not diverted.

[IronMac]

I've got about 20lbs of used/dead non-recyclable batteries collecting in a bag in my office because I didn't want to dump them in the garbage. Who can I take these to??

You can take them to BestBuy and MEC...they have bins where you can drop off batteries for recycling.

[jayk]

I've got about 20lbs of used/dead non-recyclable batteries collecting in a bag in my office because I didn't want to dump them in the garbage. Who can I take these to??

Ikea, Futureshop, Bestbuy (all 3 have drop off boxes in the front) take them.

[gman]

I've got about 20lbs of used/dead non-recyclable batteries collecting in a bag in my office because I didn't want to dump them in the garbage. Who can I take these to??

Do you mean non-rechargable or non-recyclable?

A question for others: Does Bestbuy or whoever take these stuff take non-rechargable battery? I know they take dead rechargable battery but do they take non-rechargable?

[mtl4]

I am also interested in what happens in Canada.

I have some old UPS batteries too not sure if I can bring them there also?

There are a few organizations that handle battery recycling in Canada, but by far Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation is the largest and handles all the walk in programs for the big box stores.

http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/


Alkaline and other disposable batteries can be quite expensive to recycle while other types may yield enough materials to have a positive value so that's why most places say only personal use since the big box store is picking up the tab for any shortfall. Your UPS batteries are most likely lead-acid so it could be recycled similar to a car battery.

[IronMac]

To clarify/answer gman's and mtl4's posts to the best of my limited knowledge:

A. The BestBuy drop off bins will take both alkaline (non-rechargeable) and rechargeable batteries.
B. RBRC only takes rechargeable batteries. They do not handle the BestBuy program which is done by a company called Greentec. In fact, I believe that according to the Marketplace program the RBRC intake is a minor percentage of all of the batteries used in Canada. As a side note, I knew the lady in charge of marketing this program when it first launched.
C. Lead acid batteries used in UPSes can be sent back (at least with APC that's been the case) or they should be recycled at your community's hazardous waste sites.

[mtl4]

To clarify/answer gman's and mtl4's posts to the best of my limited knowledge:

A. The BestBuy drop off bins will take both alkaline (non-rechargeable) and rechargeable batteries.
B. RBRC only takes rechargeable batteries. They do not handle the BestBuy program which is done by a company called Greentec. In fact, I believe that according to the Marketplace program the RBRC intake is a minor percentage of all of the batteries used in Canada. As a side note, I knew the lady in charge of marketing this program when it first launched.
C. Lead acid batteries used in UPSes can be sent back (at least with APC that's been the case) or they should be recycled at your community's hazardous waste sites.

Just a few comments since I do have a little knowledge in this area to share.

A) I believe they do take both, but I'm not sure which company handles the non-rechargable type since RBRC does not handle them. It could be a company like Nu-Life Industries or similar that is set up to process non-rechargables.

B) Yes, you are correct.

RBRC will only recycle the following:
Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd)
Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)
Lithium Ion (Li-ion)
Small Sealed Lead (usually 1 kilogram or less but some flexability may exist by location)

RBRC does not accept mercury oxide, silver oxide, wet cell rechargeable batteries, lithium primary, alkaline or button type batteries.

RBRC's intake is not large when compared to all batteries because the non-rechargable type outnumber the sales of rechargables almost 7 to 1, although that number seems to be changing.

Greentec is only an e-waste recycler, they don't do batteries. I'd bet that both of those companies are behind the Bestbuy recycling program. RBRC handles the battery program for Staples, Battery Plus, Bell Mobility, Black's Photography, Canadian Tire, Future Shop, Home Depot, Home Hardware, RadioShack, Revy, Telus and Zellers among others.

C) A regional landfill will probably take it back as HHW but the better option would still be to bring it back to BestBuy (or other big box store) if their recycler is willing to take it since otherwise you'll be using local tax dollars unneccsarily.

[gmark2000]

Do you mean non-rechargable or non-recyclable?

Yeah, I really meant non-rechargeable. I've got a ton of alkaline, lithium and carbon batteries from all my kids toys (and my toys too).

[craftsman]

For all batteries, chemicals and the like, people should check with their local regional government - ie city hall -. Most regions have local recycling programs as well as disposal programs for motor oil, paints, drugs.... One stop to the regional recycling center will be more environmentally friendly (not to mention saving money on gas and time) than going to 2 or 3 places...

[theonlytitania]

most cits call this Household Special Waste (HSW) or Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) most large city's have a drop off depot there is no cost in the city of London (where I live) to drop off paint, turpentine, gasoline, batteries, cleaners, bleach, pesticides, poisons, acids, drain cleaners, oil, propane tanks, etc

find your city web site and see if your city recycles.

http://www.london.ca/Cityhall/EnvServices/EP/Depots/Depots.htm#hours

http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/programs.htm

disposal of any unused medications can be taken back to the drug store & they will properly dispose of them.

[brute33]

I've got about 20lbs of used/dead non-recyclable batteries collecting in a bag in my office because I didn't want to dump them in the garbage. Who can I take these to??

the source by cc

[almostfreeman]

CBC Marketplace investigates battery recycling in Canada http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/31/batteries_not_included/

What to do with the dead ones

1. Buy Rechargeable batteries. They last longer and can be recycled.
Rechargeable Batteries are used in many portable devices, including cell phones, iPods, laptop computers, electric toothbrushes, power tools and many others. You can also find them sold separately for use in any household item.

2. Don’t throw any batteries in the garbage.
Take non-rechargeable batteries to your local hazardous waste depot site. Alkaline batteries contain potassium hydroxide, which is corrosive. Handle corroded batteries carefully; potassium hydroxide can burn if exposed to wet skin.

3. Recycle your rechargeable batteries.
Rechargeable batteries can contain highly-toxic cadmium, nickel and lead. Call the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at 1-888-224-9764 to find out where to take them.

4. Call your mayor. Encourage your local municipality to recycle all batteries.
In California a law prohibiting residents from throwing batteries in the trash came into effect in February 2006. California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control determined that, due to their hazardous content, the disposal of all household batteries should be prohibited. The same year the European Union passed a directive requiring that all member states collect and recycle used batteries. A collection rate of at least 25% must be reached by 2012. This law comes into effect in September 2008.

5. Organize your own battery blitz.
Port Perry and the surrounding township of Scugog collected 29,455 batteries in just two weeks. Try to top that!

[Grunchy]

I stopped by the future shop here in Calgary (Deerfoot Meadows location) and wow, the recycling box had been removed. So I walked in with a big bag of old batteries to customer service, there was a brief anxious moment while everyone wrung their hands and someone piped up "we don't take liquid waste any more".

So, no more liquid waste at future shop. Or at least that location.
Actually I've got a bunch of motor oil, old R/C nitro fuel, antifreeze, power wheels gel cells, etc. so I'm just going to drop it all off at the landfill.

http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_784_203_0_43/http%3B/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/Business+Units/Waste+and+Recycling+Services/Garbage+Collection+Information/Residential+Services/Household+Chemical+Drop+Off+Program+/Household+Chemical+Drop-off+Program.htm

Oh: and they say that modern dry-cell batteries have much less hazardous materials in them, so just chuck your old batteries in with the trash.

[blahing]

I think they're incinerated after they're broken up into different parts, Teck recycles the batteries at their trail facility in BC which is a smelting plant where they incinerate electronic wastes. I'm just guessing on this, but I'm fairly sure about the burning.

[mtl4]

3. Recycle your rechargeable batteries.
Rechargeable batteries can contain highly-toxic cadmium, nickel and lead. Call the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at 1-888-224-9764 to find out where to take them.


There are quite a few types of rechargable batteries out now so not all of them contain cadmium, nickel or lead.

Different types of common rechargable batteries:

NiCad - Up until the mid 1990s, Ni-Cds had an overwhelming majority of the market share for rechargeable batteries in consumer electronics. They are difficult to recycle due to heavy metals involved in the battery's manufacturing.

NiMh - NiMH cells are particularly advantageous for high current drain applications including most hybrid vehicles on the road currently.

NiZn - These batteries are an excellent replacement for electronic products that were designed to use alkaline 1.5V primary cells. They also use no heavy/toxic metals (mercury, lead or cadmium), or metal hydrides (rare earth metals) that are difficult to recycle.

LA and SLA - One of the oldest and most widely used battery technologies the lead-acid (LA) and sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries are used in everything from UPS, kids toys, autos and many others. Lead-acid battery recycling is one of the most successful recycling programs in the world.

Li-ion - Lithium ion batteries are primarily used because of their ability to be molded into almost any shape, relatively light weight and have no recharge memory. Lithium ion can be recycled relatively easily.

Rechargable Alkaline - This type of battery is best suited for use in low-drain devices such as remote controls, or for devices that are used periodically such as flashlights, television remotes, wireless keyboards, portable radios, etc. Suffer from similar recycling issues as regular alkaline batteries and may contain heavy metals like NiCads.

If you have questions you can call the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at 1-888-224-9764 to find out where best to take the type of battery you need to recycle.

[Keigotw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTxJLlQCe4U&feature=related

[mtl4]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTxJLlQCe4U&feature=related

What on earth does this have to do with battery recycling?