Types of batteries and their recycling options
Table adapted from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Household Battery Fact Sheet (Retrieved on 10 March 2006, from http://www.dec.statenz.us/website/dshm/redrecy/battery.htm) and information from Recycling Batteries. Retrieved on 10 March 2006, from http://www.enfo.ie/leaflets/as25.htm.
Type of Battery |
Common Uses |
Hazardous Component |
Disposal Recycling Options |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Wet Cell |
||||
Lead acid batteries* |
Electrical energy supply for vehicles incl cars, trucks, boats, tractors, motorcycles. Small sealed lead-acid batteries used for emergency lighting and uninterruptible power supplies |
Sulphuric acid and lead |
Recycle - most petrol stations and garages accept old car batteries and council waste facilities have collection points for lead acid batteries. |
|
Dry Cell: Non-rechargeable – single use |
||||
Zinc carbon |
Torches, clocks, shavers, radios, toys, smoke alarms |
Zinc |
Not classed as a hazardous waste – ok to dispose with household waste |
|
Zinc chloride |
Similar to above |
Zinc |
Not classed as a hazardous waste – ok to dispose with household waste |
|
Alkaline manganese |
Personal stereos, radio-cassette players |
Manganese (note some older alkaline batteries contain mercury*) |
Not classed as a hazardous waste – ok to dispose with household waste. |
|
Primary button cells |
||||
Mercuric oxide* |
Hearing aids, pacemakers, cameras |
Mercury |
Recycle – council transfer station. |
|
Zinc air |
Hearing aids, pagers, cameras |
Zinc |
Preference is to recycle at the council transfer station, if facilities available |
|
Silver oxide |
Calculators, watches, cameras |
Silver |
Preference is to recycle at the council transfer station, if facilities available |
|
Lithium |
Computers, watches, cameras |
Lithium (explosive and flammable) |
Preference is to recycle at the council transfer station, if facilities available |
|
Dry cell rechargeable – secondary batteries |
||||
Nickel cadmium* (NiCd) |
Mobile phones, cordless power tools, laptop computers, shavers, motorised toys, personal stereos |
Cadmium |
Recycle - council transfer station |
|
Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) |
Alternative to above. Longer life than NiCd batteries. |
Nickel |
Preference is to recycle at the council transfer station, if facilities available |
|
Lithium ion (Li-ion) |
As above. Greater energy storage capacity than NiCd or NiMH |
Lithium |
Preference is to recycle at the council transfer station, if facilities available |
|
Batteries that are asterisked * are listed as hazardous on the New Zealand Waste List. In cases where wastes are considered hazardous, the Ministry for the Environment recommend that landfill operators and their respective consenting authority utilise Hazardous Waste Guidelines: Landfill Waste Acceptance Criteria and Landfill Classification, to ensure correct disposal and/or treatment.
Last updated: 17 September 2007
