What do you do with depleted cells in the wilderness?

etc · Jan 17, 2017

I only use Alkalines and Lithiums when travelling and I usually travel abroad and either to a rural location and sometimes to some wilderness. There isn't some little recycling box that the first world has to deal with. There is nothing out there and if you hit some small town, there isn't such a thing either. It will all end up in the trash dump or landfill or whatever they do with their trash.

The other issue is weight and bulk. First you have to carry bulk and weight to the remote location and then carry it back? I am talking a dangerous and difficult trail like the one leading to the Magic Bus in Alaska (Christopher McCandles). He actually died there after not being able to make it back. Should he have picked up his depleted AAs and 22LR shells? That raging river has killed people and is dangerous to cross.

Or taiga in Siberia where it all takes all you got to stay alive. You don't concern yourself with First World problems.

Or some rural village in Mongolia. I am sure they have a recycling facility just around the corner. So you can drag your depleted 123s back to the village so they can put them in trash and then drive them back to the wilderness to dispose of, or burn, or whatever they do. Places like that have a local shop that's open 2 days a week and during certain hours. The food truck comes in once a week at a designated time.
I know - I've been in places like that. Ask about a recyling thing and they will look at you like you are crazy, which you are. Stupid questions attract unnecessary attention.

Then you have to deal with extreme sports like caving or climbing where every ounce counts and you struggle to stay alive, not think about recycling issues either.

I think when most people think "outdoors", they mean a local park with its designated parking / hiking trail. Where you park your car, walk for a few hours then come back to the parking lot and drive home.

As a reality check, in poor third world countries, they like to use rechargeable flashlights and radios, with built-in batteries that you can plug in directly to the outlet. They cannot afford even Alkaline AAs. Buying something and then throwing it away is wasteful.

Woods Walker · Jan 17, 2017

Ordinarily I either burn stuff (not batteries but normal trash) or pack it out. That said anyone ever see photos from mount Everest. There is a reason why all the trash and gear is left behind.

Lynx_Arc · Jan 17, 2017

For the most part alkaline batteries can be tossed in the trash as they aren't profitable to recycle and since they no longer allow mercury in them they aren't a problem in landfills.

chillinn · Jan 17, 2017

etc said:
First you have to carry bulk and weight to the remote location and then carry it back? I am talking a dangerous and difficult trail like the one leading to the Magic Bus in Alaska (Christopher McCandles). He actually died there after not being able to make it back. Should he have picked up his depleted AAs and 22LR shells? That raging river has killed people and is dangerous to cross.

The answer to the question is ABSOLUTELY YES, that is being environmentally responsible. If you are not environmentally responsible, you have no business being in the environment. I mean... if I visit your house, do I have to walk ALL THE WAY TO THE BATHROOM to relieve myself? Why can't I just go on the couch? It will biodegrade, after all.

Regarding, McCandles, I am familiar with his truly tragic (original definition) story. I don't like to speak ill of the dead, but he didn't die because he couldn't make it back; it was shame, arrogance or mental illness (severely poor judgement regarding his own lack of experience and ability) that killed him, not that he couldn't make it back. His preparation was inadequate. Let's say you want to sail around the world solo. You don't just hop in your boat and go, which is what McCandless did (if you can follow my metaphor). When attempting something so perilous, you learn how to do it in stages; you take baby steps. If McCandles had decided he was going to climb Mt. Everest, that is where he would have died, because he would have just read about it, and not trained himself. You can't do things like that and expect to survive. He wanted to be a Jeremiah Johnson, and there's nothing wrong with that, but he was simply not prepared.

StorminMatt · Jan 17, 2017

etc said:
As a reality check, in poor third world countries, they like to use rechargeable flashlights and radios, with built-in batteries that you can plug in directly to the outlet. They cannot afford even Alkaline AAs. Buying something and then throwing it away is wasteful.

Sounds like many of us could learn a thing or two from these third world folks. And one of them is the fact that routinely using primaries IS wasteful. There are just FAR too many good alternatives out there to using primaries to justify using them instead of rechargeable batteries (for anythingnbut the most dire situations). Granted, we need not use devices with built-batteries. But the truth is that modern rechargeables like Li-Ion 18650s and NiMH batteries are not only less wasteful and better for the environment, they beat the pants off primary batteries of all types in virtually every other way. An 18650, for instance, can hold the energy of 3-4 alkaline AA batteries, is little bigger dimensionally, and doesn't weigh much more. It can also supply FAR more power. And, of course, it can be used again and again. The use of rechargeables also means that you are not dependent on finding a source of primaries wherever you are (and good luck finding a source in Siberia or Alaska). And charging is FAR less of a problem than many think. Car charging, small portable solar panels, and even thermoelectric stoves like the Biolite all provide means of charging rechargeable batteries when you are far from sources of primaries or outlets to plug in chargers. Not to mention that a small USB solar panel and a small charger like the Xtar MC1+ or Fenix ARE1+ is MUCH easier to carry than a bunch of expended primaries.

Trango · Jan 17, 2017

As the post above already mentioned, why not use rechargables? You bring with you a solar charger that will charge them during the day as you walk. You just bring a few lithium primarys with you for cold weather and emergency situations, that you can bring back with you.

irongate · Jan 17, 2017

etc said:
I only use Alkalines and Lithiums when travelling and I usually travel abroad and either to a rural location and sometimes to some wilderness. There isn't some little recycling box that the first world has to deal with. There is nothing out there and if you hit some small town, there isn't such a thing either. It will all end up in the trash dump or landfill or whatever they do with their trash.

The other issue is weight and bulk. First you have to carry bulk and weight to the remote location and then carry it back? I am talking a dangerous and difficult trail like the one leading to the Magic Bus in Alaska (Christopher McCandles). He actually died there after not being able to make it back. Should he have picked up his depleted AAs and 22LR shells? That raging river has killed people and is dangerous to cross.

Or taiga in Siberia where it all takes all you got to stay alive. You don't concern yourself with First World problems.

Or some rural village in Mongolia. I am sure they have a recycling facility just around the corner. So you can drag your depleted 123s back to the village so they can put them in trash and then drive them back to the wilderness to dispose of, or burn, or whatever they do. Places like that have a local shop that's open 2 days a week and during certain hours. The food truck comes in once a week at a designated time.
I know - I've been in places like that. Ask about a recyling thing and they will look at you like you are crazy, which you are. Stupid questions attract unnecessary attention.

Then you have to deal with extreme sports like caving or climbing where every ounce counts and you struggle to stay alive, not think about recycling issues either.

I think when most people think "outdoors", they mean a local park with its designated parking / hiking trail. Where you park your car, walk for a few hours then come back to the parking lot and drive home.

As a reality check, in poor third world countries, they like to use rechargeable flashlights and radios, with built-in batteries that you can plug in directly to the outlet. They cannot afford even Alkaline AAs. Buying something and then throwing it away is wasteful.

If I may ask what takes you to all of these locations? Some very neat places you go to.

vicv · Jan 17, 2017

Some nice pictures. While I agree people do things differently in different countries I think we can do better if we're there because we have the knowledge. Regardless of whether rechargeables are the better bet or not(they are) I don't agree that every Oz counts. Sure weight matters but you carried it in you can carry it out. Just tossing your toxic cells in a river because you're too lazy to carry them back is very irresponsible in my opinion

Jomohr84 · Jan 17, 2017

I have hiked many miles in the backcountry of Glacier National Park and many other places, for more than a week sometimes, when I lived in Montana, like Jewel Basin, Big Mountain, etc., and the mottos I was taught from my first hike were "Pack it in, pack it out" and "Leave no trace". I understand if it is a life or death situation, but I would never consider leaving ANYTHING behind otherwise.

Jomohr84 · Jan 17, 2017

Also, I can recommend using rechargeables and a solar charger, as long as you have sun. I know, weight may be a big issue, but if you can carry one, I have an Aukey 21w solar charger that has worked very well, and costs about $50.00usd. Another product should hopefully be coming out this year, called Hand Energy. It promises to charge anywhere, anytime without sun, using something like mechanical kinetic energy or some such method, looks promising.

etc · Jan 17, 2017

Burn it or bury it. Where do you thino glass comes from?

vicv · Jan 17, 2017

Melted sand which has nothing to do with dumping batteries

Jomohr84 · Jan 17, 2017

It's really simple, if it goes in with you, it goes out with you, NO exceptions. Unless you are at deaths door and physically cannot carry your pack, you MUST pack out your trash. In many places littering in the wilderness is a crime, and at the very least your conscience should steer you toward not tossing your waste to pollute other creatures home.
If you can't pack it out, don't pack it in.

etc · Jan 17, 2017

Pack it where? There is no recycling facility in the village and all they do with it is burn it. Which is something you can do in the wilderness.
Or they remove it to the wilderness which is where you just dragged it from. There is no trash service in these villages. Even if you drag all your stuff back, you are still responsible for it at that point, so now what?
Is burning consumed cells more environmentally friendly in the village versus 100 kms away from it?

Is burning the cells in a ditch more env friendly in the village versus a hundred kilometers away from it? maybe polluting your own water.

Do you think the little village of 30 homes has a wholefoods or some other place with a recycling station in it? Seriously? Do you not think these cells will pollute their village? and their water? Again, all they do is burn it in the best case scenario. Do you seriously think they have a truck that comes in twice a week to clean out the garbage bin and carry it to a landfill somewhere? All they have is bicycles and a few cars in the best case scenario, with the price of gas being what it is, they won't waste it removing garbage.

Applying first world logic to third world problems, brilliant.

vicv · Jan 17, 2017

You truly are a piece of work. Who cares what they do with it. You've done your due diligence. Your responsibility is to take it to a garbage bin. What they do with it is their problem. I'm sure you toss you McDonald's garbage out the window of your car while driving too and claim "hey, it'll end up in an outside dump anyway, why waste my time" and that's not even as bad because there are crews who do clean that up. You're just leaving your garbage where ever you feel like in nature because you can't be bothered to put it in your pack and carry an extra 30 grams that you've already been carrying. You're not going to convince anyone here that's you're right so I'd give up

Lynx_Arc · Jan 17, 2017

One thing nobody has mentioned is you can just dig a hole and bury them, make sure that it is in an area that won't wash away and not near a water supply. I've dug up batteries before that were buried and over time a few batteries are absorbed into the environment the containers rust to nothing and the alkaline substance in small quantities may possibly help in areas that have highly acidic soil.

etc · Jan 17, 2017

Garbage bin, what garbage bin?

Yamabushi · Jan 17, 2017

etc said:
Pack it where? There is no recycling facility in the village and all they do with it is burn it. Which is something you can do in the wilderness.
Or they remove it to the wilderness which is where you just dragged it from. There is no trash service in these villages. Even if you drag all your stuff back, you are still responsible for it at that point, so now what?

So where did you get your batteries in the first place? Like Jomohr48 said "if it goes in with you, it goes out with you, NO exceptions" even if you have to take it all the way back to you home. if you aren't willing to do that, don't go to those place and ruin it for others.

Jomohr84 · Jan 17, 2017

Pack it where? Back to wherever you packed it from, your home. When I stop in villages with no recycling, I don't dump my used batteries with them, I suck it up and pack the batteries back to my home. How many batteries do you carry that you can't spare the weight or space in your pack?

P_A_S_1 · Jan 17, 2017

I would not even think of tossing batteries outside. About the only thing I've ever knowingly tossed were things such as chewed toothpicks or small food scraps like crumbs and pits which were natural and harmless.

What do you do with depleted cells in the wilderness?

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