You’ve taken care of your batteries throughout their life, and the care shouldn’t stop there. Once batteries reach the end of their useful life, recycling your old batteries is as important as replacing them.
The depleted batteries from my customers go back to the U.S.-based factory they came from for recycling at a facility that is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Although this costs more than the distributor shipping them off to a recycling plant in China or Africa, it also means that the batteries’ plastic cases, electrolyte, and lead are all recycled under strict environmental regulations, and the job is done here—where we are making the pollution in the first place.
Batteries sold by reputable dealers are recycled by them at no cost to the customer. Most often, when replacing batteries, you can send back the old cells once the new cells are delivered. If you are working with only a few cells, you can typically return them to the distributor for recycling when you pick up your new battery. Most distributors require the return of the old battery to avoid a “core charge” being added to the purchase of the new battery.
