How the Battery Recycling Business Works

Function

Batteries are a difficult item to recycle as they contain a variety of dangerous chemicals; however, it is the presence of these chemicals that makes proper disposal of batteries so important. Long before batteries were recycled, they were collected in special boxes in grocery and drug stores for safe and proper disposal. Now, batteries collected for proper disposal are often recycled.

Types

Once collected, batteries must be sorted by their type. Batteries fall into two main categories: single-use batteries and rechargeable batteries. Though rechargeable batteries find themselves in the recycling facility less often than the single-use variety, even rechargeable batteries have a limit to their lifespan. These rechargeable batteries can then be further organized into nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries and lithium ion batteries. In addition to the standard batteries that power our small appliances, large batteries, such as those from cell phones, are also eligible for recycling.

Chemical Recovery

At the recycling plant, various components from the batteries are collected. From single-use batteries, zinc, manganese and ferrous metals can be recovered. Cadmium and ferronickel are recovered from rechargeable batteries. Cell phone batteries yield nickel, iron, cadmium and cobalt through a thermal recovery process. All these chemicals can be used in new batteries or in stainless steel and metal scraps. The most important benefit of recycling batteries is that none of these chemicals will make their way into landfills, where they can pollute groundwater and cause harm.

Resources

• Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation
• Hazardous Waste Recycling and Disposal