How to Throw Away Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries are known to be used almost in everything that needs power in the world, from the phone you are using now to the flashlights that we own and the laptop that you are using, I mean it is like in almost everything. The batteries are used worldwide because they are light, which makes them suitable for portable devices, they are also rechargeable and they really hold power for a longer time compared to alkaline batteries. However, these batteries cannot last forever; they will always wear out after some period of time. Well, when it happens so, it is advised that you should not throw them just anywhere; there should be a way to dispose them. This is because lithium batteries contain heavy metals and acids that can be very hazardous to the environment.

Lithium ion battery disposal regulations

There are regulations set which governs the disposal of lithium ion batteries. However these regulations vary from one country to another or from one state to another if you are in the United States of America, let’s take the example of USA; though the individual state governments are allowed to make their own guideline for the disposal of the batteries, these are the general guidelines and regulations that almost any state or country can be adhered to;

The batteries which have been used for commercial purposes should be discharged before they get disposed, this means that the battery should have 2 volts or below. These can now be safe to be transported for incineration; incineration is preferred over recycling most of the times because it is cheaper than recycling

Do not incinerate the batteries yourself as a consumer even if it is just small, this is because it should be done in some controlled environment or facility to avoid pollution to the environment, hence it is unlawful to incinerate the batteries yourself.

It is advisable that you check with you local government regulations and see if you are allowed to throw the batteries in the local trash or no, if your country provides centers for recycling then you need to adhere to those regulations, and if it is not provided that you dispose the batteries in specific points of collection then it means there is no problem with disposing them to local trash.

Some countries especially in Europe, have very strict measures regarding the disposal of these batteries, you can incur very strict charges if you go against the lay down regulations. Some are even implemented into laws which can convict you and lead to being sentenced by the court of law.

Where can I throw away lithium batteries?

Well, lithium batteries have part of our lives, and sometimes when they wear out, they will need proper disposal according to the regulations. This means you will have to find a better place to dispose those batteries keeping the environmental safety in mind. There are specific points that are put in place where one can take their worn out batteries, these places are,

· Hazardous waste collection facility.

Lithium batteries contain heavy metals that can be very harmful to the environment, for that reason they are referred to as hazardous, this is the reason why they should be disposed off at this points. These waste collection facilities are able to handle the batteries properly to make sure that they are not polluting the environment, they always take them and recycle them for other uses. These points are set up in the countries at specific points according to your country, but they must be there because every country adheres to the regulations that involve disposal of these batteries. You can as well make inquiries from your local electronic retailers for directions, because they might know better where these places are located in your country.

· Recycling facilities

In the region you are residing there might be having a recycling facility that takes these lithium batteries and recycle them. You should always find out if there is a recycling facility in your area where you can go to dispose the batteries. You can as well use a specific website in your country to find out if there are those kind of facilities near you, An examples the Earth911 website that is in the United States of America that helps you find a recycling facility near you.

· Waste collection services.

If you are stuck with where to dispose these old batteries you are not using anymore, it is important that you call in the waste collection services to take them. If you are near and the disposal you want to make is big, they will come to you, but if you are far away and maybe you only want to dispose one or two, you can still call in and they will direct you to dispose them to one of the nearest disposal points and you can go over there to dispose them.

What happens if I throw away a lithium battery?

It is not advisable to throw lithium batteries away because they have adverse effects to the environment, if you just throw away lithium ion batteries; lithium ion batteries have a great effect to our environment and our health as well, the batteries contain very harmful substances, lithium itself is a metal which is very harmful , if the batteries are thrown away, they will end up in the landfills, the batteries will corrode and as a result be carried away by water to our water sources like the ocean, the lakes. This means that we will be taking in lithium in our bodies in form of water. When lithium and other harmful substances enter our body, they create a very harmful impact to our bodies, it may cause various disorders in people and also people develop strange diseases that cannot be easily understood.