Why you can’t always throw AA batteries in the trash
There’s no shortage of conflicting messages on what to do with your dead alkaline batteries, which include AA, AAA, C, D and 9-volt. Governments and battery makers don’t have consistent and clear policies for disposing of the alkaline batteries that power many of our small electric devices like remote controls, flashlights, clocks and toys. They even differ depending on where you live.
Typical alkaline batteries like AAs include steel, zinc, manganese, potassium and graphite, according to Energizer, which sells alkaline batteries. Energy is generated when the zinc and manganese interact.
“Tossing a handful of batteries in the trash may not seem like a big deal, it adds up: around 180,000 tons of batteries are discarded in the U.S. every year,” the city cautions.
What to do with your batteries also isn’t…
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