Battery Recycling Information

7 September 2017 | Tom

Information on recycling your old batteries - which types of batteries can you recycle, what your options are, how you can help the environment and the battery recycling services that we can offer at MDS.

The Background

Back in 2006 the European Parliament passed Directive 2006/66/EC on “batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators”. This has, of course, been added to and amended over the intervening years.

This directive set out a number of targets that were designed to encourage the collection and recycling of waste batteries of all types. The aim of this was to provide greater environmental protection and prevention of heavy metal pollution cause by waste batteries.

Which types of batteries can I recycle?

In reality you should be recycling all your batteries – below is a list of many but not all of the different types of battery that can be recycled:

Non-rechargeable household batteries. AAA, AA, 9V, C and D zinc carbon, zinc chloride and alkaline manganese. These are used in many devices such as TV remote controls, clocks, shavers, cameras - probably the most common group of batteries used by all of us on a daily basis.
Non-rechargeable button cells. There are many different sizes of button cells using zinc air, silver oxide, lithium (many different chemistries), mercuric oxide - often used in watches, calculators, cameras, hearing aids and games consoles.
Rechargeable batteries. Again there are many different sizes and applications of rechargeable batteries using nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ion - often used in power tools, laptop batteries, emergency lighting, video cameras and mobile phones.
Industrial batteries. These are supplied in sizes from the very small to the very large and can be wet cell lead acid, valve regulated lead acid, gel and AGM - used in alarm panels, small and large UPS installations, cars, lorries, caravans and fork lift trucks.

Where should I take them for recycling?

In early 2010 all retailers selling more than 32Kg (which isn’t much) are required to provide a free in-store collection point for waste batteries.

Of course local authority recycling centres offer a recycling route as well with information on where and how set out on their own websites or you can visit a dedicated recycling website such as Recyclingnow.com There’s loads of information available and of course it’s all a good thing to do for the future.

Here at MDS we take collection and recycling of batteries very seriously and are recycling literally tonnes of batteries every year. Click here for more information.

If you have any queries about recycling your old batteries please call us on 0800 310 2100