How To Clean: What To Do With Old Batteries

If you are like me, dealing with old batteries can be difficult. It is important to find a proper way to dispose them, but even that can be difficult. Ultimately recycling batteries is very important, because if they are not dealt with they can leak toxic chemicals into the ground water. So what can we do?

Obviously batteries cannot be disposed of with the regular trash. Always make sure you keep them separate from regular garbage. Many retailers, including Target and The Home Depot, have drop-off bins in the front of their entry ways which allow customers to not have to find the proper disposal site. At these sites they pretty much only accept household batteries.

If you have an old automotive battery, check with your town's public works department. Many will allow you to drop them off for disposal. If they don't, check a local automotive repair shop. A lot of them will accept them if you pay a disposal fee.

One of the most popular ways to deal with getting rid of old batteries is to do it as part of a group. Start a collection box at your office or church, giving your coworkers an opportunity to properly dispose of the batteries. You can be their environmental hero!

If you are looking for a place to take your batteries or anything else around the house, check out Earth 911, which is an invaluable resource that can help you find a drop-off site in your community.