|
|
Used Batteries a Problem?..... Recycle Them! |
|
||||||||||||
|
BATTERIES CAN BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM
Two types of batteries are found in the average household and both contain heavy metals and other materials that are toxic and corrosive.
Dry Cell
batteries are the small household batteries that power flashlights,
toys, cassette players, cameras, cell phones, hearing aids, watches and
many other household items.
They may or may not be rechargeable.
They may be round, square, button-shaped or in a pack.
Although “dry cell” batteries represent less than one percent of
municipal solid waste weight, they account for 52 percent of all cadmium
and 88 percent of all mercury found in landfills.
Wet Cell batteries (or lead-acid batteries) are the large batteries used in cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and industrial applications. They contain acid and lead. Wet cell batteries are banned from all landfills in Ohio because of their potential to leach toxic chemicals as they break down. Neither you nor your trash hauler may dispose of wet cell batteries in the landfill.
HOW ARE BATTERIES RECYCLED?
You can help turn potential environmental contaminants into tomorrow's resources by recycling your household batteries. A network of Erie County retailers and scrap yards accept both small household batteries and large "wet cell" (automotive and marine) batteries from the public. The batteries are sent to various battery recyclers in Ohio and across the country that break them down and recover valuable metals, acids and other components.
At the dry-cell recycling facility, a thermal process is used to reclaim the cadmium, nickel and iron content of the batteries. The recycled cadmium is used to make new batteries while the nickel and iron are used to make stainless steel. Spent lead batteries are transported to secondary smelters and the lead, acid and plastic are recovered to reuse. A typical automotive battery contains 18-20 pounds of lead and 3 pounds of plastic.
WHERE TO TAKE DRY CELL BATTERIES IN ERIE COUNTY?
Several Erie County retail businesses have joined with the Erie County Solid Waste District to collect and recycle dry cell (small household) batteries. Batteries are accepted during normal operating hours.
|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||
|
Four area school districts are participating in battery recycling and are listed below. Students may bring in their old household batteries for recycling to any school in these districts. We ask that the public use one of the businesses listed above to recycle their household batteries.
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
WHERE TO TAKE WET CELL BATTERIES IN ERIE COUNTY
SOME SITES CHARGE A FEE OR LIMIT AMOUNTS..... CHECK FIRST.
Most retailers that sell wet cell (auto and marine) batteries will a accept your old battery when you buy a new one. The following businesses also accept wet cell batteries without additional purchase.
|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
