Are All Batteries Created Equal?
We all want to do our part to help the environment, and there are lots of questions when it comes to how to dispose of batteries properly. Batteries are of special concern as they may contain harmful metals which can be dangerous to the environment, as well as toxic to humans and animals. But do you have to keep all batteries out of your regular trash? If there is any doubt as to your local regulations, you can contact your local landfill or trash pickup service with questions. They will know the requirements in your area.
Alkaline batteries:
Do a Google search and you will get lots of different answers on whether you have to recycle alkaline batteries, or whether they can simply be tossed in with your regular trash. All of the major battery manufacturers have removed mercury from their alkaline batteries and claim they are safe to dispose of in regular trash as they pose no threat to the environment. However, recycling as many household items as you can, including alkaline batteries, is always a good idea. Keep a non-metal container only for used batteries someplace safe, place a piece of tape over the top of each battery (the tape keeps them from interacting with one another and causing a fire if they are not fully discharged) and hang on to them until the container is full and then take the container to a proper recycling site. NEVER dispose of used batteries in a fire as they may explode, even when fully depleted.
Rechargeable Batteries:
Rechargeable batteries contain harmful metals and should always be recycled properly.
Lithium, lithium-ion batteries:
AED batteries fall into the lithium battery category and should be disposed of properly. When disposing of AED batteries, we recommend you contact a local recycling center in your area to make sure they are disposed of correctly. AED Superstore does offer a recycling service for rechargeable batteries. For more information on our program, visit the AED Superstore Battery Recycling page.
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