Batteries
Do not put your household batteries in your grey refuse or red recycling bin. Some household batteries contain harmful chemicals like lead, mercury or cadmium. If batteries are thrown into your grey refuse bin, they are likely to end up in landfill, where they can leak some of these chemicals into the ground. This can cause soil and water pollution, which may be a health risk for humans.
Tips on reducing waste and conserving resources.
The three R's - reduce, reuse and recycle - all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy protecting our environment.
Reduce
Use the mains when possible. Check if you already have enough batteries before buying more. Batteries can lose their charge if stored too long.
Reuse
Invest in rechargeable batteries. Over its useful life, each rechargeable battery may substitute for hundreds of single-use batteries. And, all rechargeable batteries are recyclable. While they may cost more up front, they'll save money in the long run because they last longer than disposables.
Recycle
Seek guidance on how to dispose or recycle batteries from either the distributor who originally supplied the battery, the battery manufacturer or the appliance manufacturer.
Many supermarkets and shops that sell batteries will have collection points for used batteries. Look out for the 'Be Positive' signs in shop windows and in stores to find these collection areas.
You can also take your household batteries to be recycled at:
- Chalvey Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Local library
- Find your nearest battery collection box outlet.
What types of batteries can be recycled?
Most types of batteries can be recycled:
- all AAA and AA cells
- size C and D
- button batteries (e.g. watch or hearing aid batteries)
- mobile phone batteries
- laptop batteries
- power tool batteries
- car batteries (they can also be recycled at garages or scrap metal facilities).