| Most of us recognize the importance of recycling | | | | reclaimed from them. This means that not only |
| paper, plastic and glass, but forget about recycling | | | | are there environmental benefits but there are |
| batteries. That less than 5% of batteries get | | | | economic ones too. For this reason, jewelers and |
| recycled proves the point. That figure should be | | | | pharmacies are happy to take these expired |
| much, much higher, as recycling batteries is no | | | | batteries from you because they can actually |
| more difficult that recycling anything else. So, if | | | | make some money from them. |
| you are not currently recycling the batteries that | | | | Car batteries : Companies who sell car batteries |
| you use, the question is - why not? Some people | | | | are legally obliged in most countries to help with |
| say that recycling batteries is too difficult or | | | | the recycling of expired car batteries, and so you |
| inconvenient, but that is no more than an excuse, | | | | can take your old ones to them and let them |
| and a poor one at that. Lots of supermarkets | | | | take care of the rest of the process. They will |
| have recycling points for batteries, and you can | | | | have contacts who can melt down the plastic |
| also find them in some libraries and schools. All | | | | components (to be used for new plastic products) |
| you have to do is take your batteries and drop | | | | and turn the lead into new batteries. |
| them in a box. Not hard, right? If you cannot think | | | | Household batteries : These are the most |
| of anywhere in your local area that recycles | | | | common types of batteries and you will surely |
| batteries than do a quick search on Google for | | | | have at least some of them in use your house at |
| 'recycle batteries + the name of your town'. Let's | | | | the moment. They are not easy to turn into new |
| now look at the most common battery types in | | | | batteries, but they should be taken to recycling |
| a bit more detail... | | | | points anyway. Though they may not be able to |
| Button batteries : These batteries, which are used | | | | be used for any new purpose, at least they will |
| in watches and hearing aids amongst other things, | | | | be disposed of properly rather than being left in a |
| can have the mercury-oxide and silver-oxide | | | | landfill to damage the environment. |