To dispose of the batteries safely, cover the positive terminal of the battery with protective caps or masking tape when grouping used batteries for disposal. This will ensure the battery type is still identifiable at the recycling centre, while also protecting you from danger; do not wrap the entire battery so that it is unrecognisable.
Do Not Incinerate: Burning batteries releases toxic chemicals into the air. Proper handling and disposal of batteries are crucial to ensure safety, protect the environment, and avoid potential hazards like fires or chemical leaks. Follow these essential safety tips to manage batteries responsibly: 1. Do Not Throw Batteries in Regular Trash
If contact does occur, wash your hands and skin thoroughly as soon as possible. Once the battery is contained and unable to contaminate other items, proceed to recycle the battery at your local recycling centre.
There should be a collection point at the premises for ‘portable’ batteries. These include AAA, AA and 9V batteries, battery packs, button batteries and rechargeable batteries, which can be found in a huge range of products. Basically, all batteries apart from those designed for vehicles or industrial use can be dropped off for recycling this way.
Damaged or leaking batteries can release toxic and corrosive substances, posing risks to health and the environment. Always wear gloves and avoid direct contact with leaking materials. Place such batteries in a sealed plastic bag and immediately take them to a hazardous waste center. Wear gloves and avoid direct contact with leaks.
This is a real danger in waste facilities. Recycling batteries minimises waste which means less waste management costs for councils (and us). This means the taxes we pay are better spent. When it comes to battery recycling, the UK doesn’t even end up in a medal position. We crawl in at 14th with a battery recycling rate of around 45%.