Batteries have become a necessity
Your home is full of devices and objects which require batteries to function. If you think it's not your case, you probably forgot about everyday objects, such as a clock, a remote control for your TV or audio player, or toys. A lot of small portable lamps use batteries as well. These lights are practical, but you need to have enough spare batteries on hand at all times to be able to replace a dead one right away and to keep everything running smoothly.
Why should you separate used batteries?
You've replaced the batteries. Now what to do with the used batteries? Never throw batteries in a bin with mixed waste. Just like other materials, batteries need to be separated. There are many reasons why. First of all, to protect our environment. If you throw batteries into a mixed waste container, they end up in a landfill or a waste incineration plant. Both cases lead to a release of harmful substances, including heavy metals. Those are responsible for the pollution of surface waters, ground waters but also the contamination of soil and air. Another reason for sorting dead batteries is that some companies can recover metals from them. These metals are given a new purpose, e.g. in metal constructions, accumulators, drip flashing, or waste containers. Or they find a new life in the form of a glass ceramic hob, cutlery, coins, jewellery, or cosmetics. The utilisation possibilities are broad. It's clear that sorting batteries makes a lot of sense.
Recycling process
You may be wondering what happens to the batteries if you sort them carefully and what their next steps are. Used batteries are sorted further according to specific criteria.
The recycling process itself is quite complicated. First, the batteries are sorted by size, type, and other criteria. Next, there are several methods for their processing. Electric arc furnaces enable different chemical reactions which create needed materials. Another method involves shredding and mixing with other materials to get something valuable. It's also possible to separate various substances from them, such as iron and manganese.
But there are many different methods and ways to recycle batteries, and they are rather complicated. Every battery can be processed in a different way. The important thing to remember is that they can be used again to save materials, the environment and to give new life to their old parts. So why not separate batteries? To dispose of them in places which were designed for that purpose is the smallest thing.
