What is the best way to recycle home batteries?
The toxic heavy metal content of batteries makes them very difficult to recycle. Yet they contain some of the most environmentally harmful chemicals of common household items that are disposed of today. Mercury reduction in batteries began in 1984 and continues today. During the last several years, the industry has reduced the total amount of mercury usage by about 86 percent. Newer alkaline batteries may contain about one-tenth the amount of mercury previously contained in the typical alkaline battery. Non-rechargeable (typically alkaline manganese and carbon zinc) batteries contain such small amounts of heavy metal that no batteries contain such small amounts of heavy metal that no vendor will take on the task of recycling them. Unfortunately they must be disposed of in the trash. The vast majority of rechargeable batteries contain toxic heavy metals that, when introduced into the environment through incineration, being buried in landfills or being otherwise disposed of in the enviro
