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Friday, April 11, 2014Good morning,
Batteries are one of those little things that really add up. With about 3 billion dumped each year, the lead, cadmium, mercury, and other heavy metals in household batteries can seriously contaminate our soil and water quality. To take just one example, more cadmium in landfills comes from batteries than any other source. The solution? Recycling!
Scroll down to find out how.
Thanks for reading,
Your Living Green editor
Email the Editor***Rechargeable batteries (e.g. nickel-cadmium and lithium-ion) can get their charge rejuvenated hundreds of times, but eventually they too wear out. Call the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at their hotline at 1-800-8-BATTERY to find out where you can drop rechargeables off for recycling.
Standard household (e.g. alkaline and zinc-carbon) batteries are recyclable too, although they can be harder to find a home for. Your local hardware store might take them. Or check earth911.org or call 1-800-CLEANUP for a location near you. If you go through a lot of batteries, it might be worth enlisting a company like Battery Solutions or the Big Green Box that will recycle them for a fee.
The bottom line is think carefully before buying new battery-powered gadgets. Do you really need them?