Where do cells go when they die?

Ok the topic seems to be a bit off but this has something to do with recycling cells. If people who don't recycle and the cells end up in the dumpster doesn't it make alot of used cells waste? If they do get recycled, how are they processed? Are they taken apart and get refilled or just crushed? Who's going to sort the cells chemistry? What about those with washed out labels? Anyone recycle batteries here?

Great... no one cares about motherearth! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Overhere, shops that sell batteries also have a bin for depleted cells.
They are then processed as chemical waste. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/goodjob.gif

Old cells dont die, they just fade away

Take care,
Al

Hmmm, I'ven't seen those bins downunder..

Ya, I think most of them 'back to nature'.
And until now i don really see any one do batteries recycle, may be the return is just not good or our technology not reach yet.

Some how i think those one time battery is just create for polluting our mother earth. Think about their toxic waste.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif

Be good to <font color="green">Nature</font><font color="red">...</font>use <font color="blue">rechargeable</font> batteries /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Take care,
Al

Around here they definitely collect NiCad and lead acid batteries for recycling or proper disposal. But not regular alkaline.

The Zinc in the anode is not very toxic, and in a depleted cell most of it is already converted to zinc oxide which is rather harmless and is the same stuff as the Zinc Oxide cream for your nose at the beach /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The cathode is Manganese dioxide which is a bit more reactive. The worse kind of exposure for a person is breathing the vapors should it be burning. Also it is used as a coloring for pottery and such and when being fired at high temperatures the vapors can cause serious toxic reactions if you inhale them. This may also be a contributing factor to some kinds of parkinsons desiese, but that doesn't appear to have been significantly studied since the populations that are exposed to the metal in a vapor or tiny particles to inhale is small. Ingesting it isn't very serious according to the data sheets. Your body won't absorb it and so doesn't process it. But it can affect the absorption of other things like calcium if you're exposed to it over a long period. That doesn't mean that you want to eat it though. Which, interestingly makes it like mercury, which while it's toxic in any form is much more serious inhaled than eaten.

There isn't much Manganese dioxide left in the cell when it's depleted though, it's mostly converted to manganese trioxide or something, I can't find much info on this other than it's also used as a ceramic coloring for various browns. Again, inhaling it is the most serious type of exposure, but you have to be burning it to make the fumes.

The alkaline gel is just potassium hydroxide.

So none of this stuff is very good to have in a landfill, it's a LOT better than the silver and mercury metal based cells that they have replaced.

My local Ace Hardware store accepts NiCads for recycling. I have no idea what they do with them, though.

I see those battery recycling stations around here. They're clearly labeled for disposing rechargeable batteries only, but people seem to be unable to read and leave piles of Alkies and no NiCads or NiMH's. Go figure...

Our local disposal company has a "hazardous waste disposal day" when they take all sorts of chemical stuff and environmentally unfriendly waste.

So all these waste have to go to 'hell'. What do they actually do with the waste? Store them in tanks and label them 'hazardous' and wait to sell to terrorist who makes biological weapons? Or do they bury them? Maybe process/neutralise the waste?

I believe most non-recycle household waste will go to the incinerator but according to James, it's not a good idea to burn some of the cells. I will email one of the battery manufacturers and see what they say about it.

Most battery manufacturers in the US have at least an 800 number to call for information incuding info on recycling. Calling your local electronics shop, hardware store, or local recycling center should give you details in your region.

But how many have called, and actually recycle?

I believe Radio Shack has a battery reclamation program, but I don't know what chemistry of cells they accept besides just NiCds.

make old cells worth a dime like an empty can or bottle
so that they do not end up in the garbage

My garbage collector distributes heavy plastic zip-lock bags that are marked for battery recycling. You can put any used battery in the bag, including alkalines. When the bag gets full, you just stick it in the recycling bin with your other recyclable plastic & metal and set it out by the curb. When they collect it, they leave you a new battery bag.

We paint them white and bury them in the front yard at half-depth. (regional joke)

This is dbrier's wife, former household hazardous waste program manager with many years of battery collections under my belt.

To my knowledge, the batteries are disassembled in some way (probably crushed) and then the metal and plastic components are reclaimed or disposed as appropriate.

From the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation's website, RBRC, there is a lesson plan with this bit of information:
[ QUOTE ]
The rechargeable batteries collected in this
program are recycled at the International Metals
Reclamation Company (INMETCO), a major North
American recycling facility of metal wastes. The facility
is located in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Cadmium is
recovered in a special high-temperature metal recovery
process with no by-products being sent to a landfill.
The recovered cadmium is purified before being used
once again to make new rechargeable batteries. The
recycled nickel and iron go back to the steel industry
to be used in making stainless steel products. Cobalt
and lead are also extracted through a high temperature
process. The plastic cases that have been separated from
the cells prior to processing are used as a fuel in a
special furnace.


[/ QUOTE ]


RBRC is a national program that many retailers participate in. Radio Shack is one of the founding participants. RBRC accepts NiCds, NiMH, Li-Ion and sealed lead acid batteries that weigh less than 2 lbs.

As to who sorts the batteries, it depends. If you recycle your batteries through an RBRC bin, INMETCO workers sort the batteries. If you recycle them through a local recycling program, program employees probably sort them (it's less expensive than paying the battery recycling companies to do it.) Once you've sorted 50-100 pounds of batteries (one or two five-gallon buckets worth) you can pretty readily recognize what's what.

Alkaline batteries that are made in the US are essentially non-toxic these days and quite safe to go in the trash. The figures I've heard are that about 50% of an alkaline battery is reclaimable material, and the cost is at least $0.37 per pound to recycle them - pretty expensive for a non-haz material.

So that means it's not worth recycling in terms of economy?

koala, in terms of economy there is only 1 thing that is worth recycling, aluminum cans. EVERYTHING else that we recycle from paper to plastic is only done because of vast government subsidies. It was supposed to become profitable as a market for these recycled products developed, but excepting a few specific successes (like that plastic decking material that is made from recycled milk cartons) recycling is a total and very expensive failure. It's not even true that recycling paper saves trees since nobody cuts old growth for paper, they cut the trees that they planted specifically to grow for paper and when they are cut they will plant them again.

Rechargeable batteries are collected because they have stuff in them that is considerably more toxic than regular batts. Not because there is any value in it.

Aluminum cans are pretty high grade aluminum. (they're damn strong for what they are)