This post comes to you from team member Gabrielle House
As I sit here typing this, I can see at least nine battery powered items in the room. And that’s just in one room! Perhaps that’s a bit excessive, but daily use of battery powered devices certainly seems to be the norm these days. Batteries are a staple in our everyday lives, but they can also be very dangerous and harmful if disposed of improperly. Read on to learn how to safely dispose of your batteries!
The dangers of improper battery disposal
Working with clients, many seem to be aware that they should be disposing their old electronics separate from household trash and recycling, along with other hazardous waste. However, it’s common that people are unaware that alkaline batteries also need to be discarded separately. Alkaline batteries are disposable, non-rechargeable batteries. They are used in many household items like flashlights, toys, and most portable electronics. In fact, they make up about 80% of batteries manufactured in the United States! When alkaline batteries are thrown in with our regular trash or recycling, there are a number of potential risks. If alkaline batteries are crushed or punctured in a landfill, they can start dangerous and damaging fires. They can also release chemicals like lithium, cadmium, sulfuric acid and lead. These chemicals are toxic and can seep into groundwater.
How to safely dispose of batteries
We see it often on the job. Peoples’ old batteries pile up because they want to dispose of them properly, but aren’t exactly sure how. So what to do with all those old batteries laying around your home? Easy! First, identify the types of batteries you will be disposing of (this information should be easily found on the battery). Next, confirm that the battery drop-off location of your choice accepts these kinds of batteries. Lastly, drop off your batteries!
Safely dispose of your alkaline batteries for free AND get rewarded!
A great, convenient place to recycle alkaline batteries is Staples! At staples, you can easily recycle most types of batteries AND get rewarded for it! It’s simple: get your accepted batteries together, bring them to the register at your local staples and collect your reward!
That was easy!
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