Although it is not law that you HAVE to recycle your used batteries, in 2006 the EU passed a ruling which aimed to have a higher rate across Europe for battery recycling. They stated that by 2012, 25% of all batteries sold must be collected, in the UK by 2012, 32% of batteries were collected.
Battery recycling is on the rise, in this blog post we address some of the key concepts pertaining to this concept.
Why do should you recycle them?
Batteries contain harmful chemicals and metals, by disposing of these in the general garbage they are sent to waste landfill sites. The problem with this is it can lead to water pollution and soil contamination which affects the environment and has an impact on industries such as farming.
Recycling batteries is good for the environment and they are also the most recyclable products in the world. Almost 100% of the recycled battery can be used to make a brand new one, so there’s no wastage, and this has less of an impact on the planet.
Where can I recycle them?
The EU also stated that shops that sold more than 32kg of batteries per year must provide a ‘battery bin’ within their stores. This means you can take your used batteries to the local supermarket and dispose of them there.
There are also businesses that request you send used batteries to their company and they will recycle the batteries themselves. This makes it easier for people that haven’t got a local ‘battery bin’ near them, as they will not have to travel far to recycle!
Other options
One thing you can do instead of purchasing one-time use batteries is to buy rechargeable options instead. Do this, and you will never have to recycle any of your batteries from now on, you could have two sets on the go; so whilst one set is being used, the other set is charging and waiting to be used.
Or, if you really want to avoid buying batteries, thus removing the need to recycle them, buy products that run on electricity, such as radios, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Hopefully, the points we have raised in this blog post have made you think about recycling batteries from now on.
It’s good for the environment after all!
