Batteries are everywhere – in flashlights, remote controls, cameras. But where to put the empty energy storage? Read here how to dispose of batteries properly.
Batteries are treasures and time bombs at the same time. A small percentage carries heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, or lead. If these components get into the groundwater via household waste or disposal in nature, not only the environment suffers but also the quality of the drinking water – and therefore, people in the long term.
The energy storage devices also contain valuable raw materials such as iron, zinc, nickel, manganese and silver. If you think about the best AGM battery for car then you will also get some reusable materials from it. Such recyclable materials cannot be recycled with household waste, but are lost in dumps and incinerators.
Batteries, therefore, do not belong in household waste or nature. Where and how should batteries be disposed of?
Returns are regulated by law
After batteries in Germany regularly landed in residual waste for many years, the battery cycle is now regulated by law: Under the bulky name “Law on the placing on the market, return and environmentally friendly disposal of batteries and accumulators (Battery Law),” the legislator obliges manufacturers for taking back old batteries.
For this to work smoothly, a non-profit- taking return system was created in parallel. The “common battery return system” ensures that distributors and sellers receive back the empty end-of-life batteries from end-users and pass them on collectively to the actual manufacturer. This ensures that consumers do not have to send their empty batteries back to the manufacturer themselves.
The system is fundamentally similar to that of PET deposit bottles: According to the Battery Act, any retail company that constantly or temporarily supplies batteries or battery-operated devices in its range is obliged to take back used batteries free of charge – regardless of whether they were bought in its shop or not,
Disposal points for used batteries
Nationwide there are over 170,000 collection points where consumers can dispose of batteries. The collection points are located in:
- supermarkets
- department stores
- Electrical shops
- gas stations
As a rule, customers will find the green collection box for standard household batteries or the yellow box for high-energy batteries openly accessible and clearly visible in the salesroom. Common locations are the sales area for batteries, the cash register, or the recycling containers for packaging materials.
Some of the municipalities also take back old batteries and old batteries, for example, via pollutant vehicles at changing locations or at recycling centers. There are also disposal options at public institutions such as citizens’ offices. Further information is available from the municipal waste disposal companies.
Storage of used batteries
If you want to dispose of old batteries without having to go to the drop-off point for each battery, you should store them appropriately. There are a few things to consider:
- Lithium batteries: They are primarily used in cell phones, digital cameras and laptops and should be protected against short circuits before storage. This is done by masking the open contacts with an adhesive strip.
- Generally, batteries and accumulators should not get into the hands of children and should be stored in a cool, dry place. If you store batteries too warm, you accept that they will leak or burst.
- Do not touch leak batteries with your bare hands! If this happens, wash your hands and the affected clothing thoroughly.
- Remnants of the electrolyte can be wiped off with a damp cloth.
Tip: The lifespan of batteries can be extended. Most devices also use energy at rest. Therefore, switch off unused devices and remove the batteries until the next use.