How to Recycle Batteries

By eHow Electronics Editor

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Americans throw away more than three billion batteries each year. The number of discarded AA batteries alone would circle the globe six times if laid end to end. Batteries do more than take up space in the landfills; they also pollute lakes and streams and leak lead and acid into the ground. Recycling saves money and the environment. Follow these steps to recycle batteries.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Exchange your single use batteries for rechargeable batteries. With the ability to be recharged up to a thousand times, one rechargeable battery replaces 50 to 300 single use batteries.

Step2

Find a place to recycle rechargeable batteries when they eventually lose their charge. Many stores provide Call2Recycle boxes for dead rechargeable batteries. With more than 350 million rechargeable batteries sold in the United States each year, the impact could be huge if everyone recycled.

Step3

Remember to recycle batteries from cordless items. People use an average of six wireless products each day; cell phones, cordless phones, laptops, digital cameras and camcorders, cordless toothbrushes and power tools, for example. On average, each person throws away eight batteries a year from cordless items, batteries that could be recycled.

Step4

Recycle your car battery. Remind your mechanic or dealer to recycle dead car batteries. Recycled lead and plastic goes into making nearly 99 million new car batteries each year.

Step5

Check your nickel-cadmium batteries for a recycle symbol. As opposed to disposable alkaline batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries are designed to be recycled and carry the symbol as a reminder.