Water Quality District - Hazardous Waste
Batteries
Automotive Batteries
What Makes Them Dangerous?
Automobiles, boats, tractors, and some toys contain wet-cell batteries, which contain lead and a solution of sulfuric acid. When activated, the electrolyte solution in the battery may produce explosive gases. Manufacturers of batteries containing sulfuric acid must label the battery to warn the consumer of the dangers from battery acid and accumulated gases. Sulfuric acid is caustic. Fumes can irritate respiratory tract and skin and eye contact can cause burns.
Disposal Options
Dispose:
- Do not put lead-acid batteries in your trash.
Recycle:
- Retailers that sell lead-acid batteries take back lead-acid batteries when you purchase a new one.
- BFI Recycling accepts lead-acid batteries.
Button Batteries
What Are They?
- Alkaline button batteries are used in radios, toys, calculators, electronic games, watches, and electronic thermostats.
- Mercuric oxide button batteries are primarily used in hearing aids.
- Nickel cadmium button batteries are found in computers and dog collars.
- Silver oxide button batteries are used in hearing aids, watches, calculators, toys, musical greeting cards, and books.
- Lithium button batteries are used in cameras, calculators, computer memory backup, hearing aids, digital thermometers, and smoke detectors.
- Zinc air button batteries are used in hearing aids, portable computers, and pagers.
What Makes Them Hazardous?
Button batteries may contain silver, lithium, zinc, lead, mercury,
nickel, cadmium, and electrolytes. If batteries leak or explode, the
chemical substances contained in these batteries can cause burns and/or
contaminate the environment.
The heavy metals contained in button batteries may accumulate in aquatic
life, animals, and humans.
Disposal Options
All button batteries must be recycled, except alkaline button batteries purchased after 2/1/92.
Recycle:
- Take to a jewelry or department store.
- Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event: Bring to Haz Waste Days in September.
Dispose:
- Trash: Only alkaline button batteries purchased after 2/1/1992 may be placed in the trash.
Non-Rechargeable Batteries
What Are They?
- Alkaline batteries may be used in flashlights, radios, toys, calculators, remote controls, electronic games, portable radios, televisions, and garage door openers.
- Lithium non-rechargeable batteries used in cameras, computer memory backup, video equipment, remote controls, and garage door openers.
- Carbon zinc non-rechargeable batteries are used in clocks, garage door openers, pagers, smoke detectors, alarms, lighting and lanterns.
- Silver oxide non-rechargeable batteries are often used in cameras and invisible fencing.
What Makes Them Hazardous?
Non-rechargeable batteries may contain silver, lithium, zinc, alkaline, and electrolytes. Lithium batteries have the potential to create a spark if stored with other metal objects which could result in an explosion and/or fire.
Safety Notes
- Attempting to recharge a non-rechargeable battery may cause gases to build up and generate enough pressure to explode during the recharge.
- Avoid carrying lithium batteries in your pocket with coins. The battery may cause a spark with the coins and potentially burn your clothes and skin.
Disposal Options
Dispose
Trash: The following batteries are safe to put in your trash:
- Alkaline batteries that were purchased after 2/1/1992.
- All Carbon Zinc non-rechargeable batteries.
- Silver oxide non-rechargeable batteries should be recycled. These batteries can not be placed in the trash.
Recycle:
- Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event: Non-rechargeable batteries that cannot be placed in your trash can be brought to Haz Waste Days in September.
Rechargeable Batteries
What Are They?
Rechargeable batteries are also called lead-acid or gel cell (non automotive), nickel cadmium, lithium ion, and nickel metal hydride. These batteries are often used in video cameras, cellular phones, cordless phones, flashlights, power tools, clocks, portable computers, home security systems, weed trimmers, wheelchairs, appliances, camcorders, pagers, and toys.
What Makes Them Hazardous?
Rechargeable batteries may contain lithium, nickel cadmium, lead, zinc, and other heavy metals. Nickel cadmium, commonly referred to as Ni-Cads, and lithium batteries have the potential to create a spark if stored with other metal objects which could result in an explosion and/or fire. Lead-acid batteries can cause serious burns if the seal cracks allowing the acid to leak out.
Safety Notes
- Avoid carrying nickel cadmium and/or lithium batteries in your pocket with coins. The battery may cause a spark with the coins and potentially burn your clothes and skin.
- Store rechargeable batteries in a non-metal container and keep separate from other batteries and any source of ignition.
- Tape the receptor ends of nickel cadmium and lithium batteries with duct or electrical tape for storing and transporting to a recycling drop off.
- Never attempt to open sealed lead acid batteries. Store away from children.
Disposal Options
Dispose
Trash:
- Alkaline rechargeable batteries can be placed in the trash.
- Do not put nickel cadmium or other rechargeable batteries containing toxic substances in your trash.
Recycle:
- Best Buy, Home Depot, RadioShack, Staples, Target will accept household rechargeable batteries for recycling (check website below for most up-to-date list of retailers).
- Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event: You may recycle non-alkaline household batteries at Haz Waste Days in September.
- You may also check the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation website (www.rbrc.org) for additional information, and list of participating retailers
The Residential Disposal Guide is provided by the Missoula Valley Water Quality District as a public service and is not an endorsement of specific businesses, services or products. Any omissions or inaccuracies are unintentional. Please contact us with corrections or additions. Call businesses or agencies to confirm hours, locations and charges for services, if any. For information on disposal of items not listed, email or call the Water Quality District at 406-258-4890, M - F, 8 am to 5 pm.
Much of the information provided is from the Washington County, MN, Dept. of Public Health and Environment website.
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