I often get asked what to do with stuff.
What do I do with plastic bags since they can’t go in the recycling blue bin? Where do I take pillows? And sheets and towels? Textiles that can’t be used? Salvation Army or Goodwill?
Recently my dad asked me if he has to recycle alkaline batteries, and not long afterward, a friend texted me the very same question.
Back in the day, your regular TV remote battery couldn’t be put into the municipal trash because they contained harmful mercury that could leach into waterways. Nowadays, batteries do not contain mercury, which is good.
In Chicago, alkaline batteries are accepted in the garbage cart, while rechargeable batteries are considered hazardous waste due to nickel cadmium and must be recycled accordingly.
These batteries can now safely go in the trash/landfill, which isn’t necessarily that great.
Yes, they can be thrown out (like a lot of things), but you can also go one extra step and find a place that recycles them. You can look up where to recycle your batteries here, and for the most part, it is going to depend on where you live and what your town or city collects.
So check it out and do something with that pile of dead batteries in your junk drawer.
Resources:
waste not want not 