How do you handle used batteries from an office or workshop?
We have been collecting old batteries at work for a while now and the pile keeps growing. Mixed types, some lithium ion, some lead acid, a few from backup units. What do you normally do with them, and is there anything worth checking before handing them over to a recycler?
7 Views
From what I have seen, the first thing worth checking is whether the recycler is actually certified, since R2 certification is usually a reasonable starting filter. Batteries hold lead, lithium, mercury, sulfuric acid and other materials that cause real problems if they end up in a landfill, so this is not the place to pick the cheapest option available. The other thing I would look at is whether they handle sorting by chemistry, because in most cases separating types is either best practice or a requirement, and mixed piles create issues later. One company I came across that lists this in detail is Modern Waste, and you can view it here if you want to compare their scope with others. They cover alkaline, lithium ion, lead acid, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and EV batteries, plus packaging, containers, transport and labeling, which matters more than people expect once volumes grow. Different chemistries go through different recovery processes anyway, so a provider that explains that clearly is generally a better sign than one that keeps it vague.