# Trashing batteries, light bulbs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 15, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170 "2007-04-15T02:25:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![neorxnawange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f4b2a3/32.png) [@neorxnawange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neorxnawange)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/1 "2007-04-15T02:25:30Z")
Is it ok to throw batteries (regular type C, AA, etc) into the regular trash that goes to the landfill, or is there a more proper way to get rid o’ them? Also, I’ve heard that when my compact florescent bulbs burn out I’m supposed to do something special with them. What do I do? ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/2 "2007-04-15T03:00:58Z")
I will chuck any common battery’s but the rechargeable ones need to be brought into a recycling center. Most retailers in my area that sell also collect them The florescent bulbs most definitely need to be disposed of properly. Ask about it where you buy the new one’s. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/3 "2007-04-15T03:31:34Z")
Where are you located? In California, all batteries are considered “universal hazardous waste” and it’s illegal to dispose of them in your household trash. Likewise fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescents. You’re required to take them to a household hazmat recycling site, or to any retailer that will accept them. Generally speaking, drugstores with 1-hour photo labs and hardware stores will take used batteries. Most office buildings also have battery collection bins. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/4 "2007-04-15T03:51:33Z")
Call your local recycling center and dump. I save them up then dispose of then at the dump’s designated collection center about once a year when they have foam recycling day. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/5 "2007-04-15T05:55:32Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] In California, all batteries are considered “universal hazardous waste” and it’s illegal to dispose of them in your household trash. Likewise fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescents. You’re required to take them to a household hazmat recycling site, or to any retailer that will accept them. Generally speaking, drugstores with 1-hour photo labs and hardware stores will take used batteries. Most office buildings also have battery collection bins. [/QUOTE] Do you have a cite for California considering alkaline batteries as being “Universal hazardous waste”? :dubious: Going to the source I find these comments: > [@Duracell](#): > > ``` > Alkaline batteries can be safely disposed of with normal household waste. Due to concerns about mercury in the municipal solid waste stream, Duracell has voluntarily eliminated all of the added mercury from its alkaline batteries since 1993 — while maintaining the performance you demand. Our alkaline batteries are composed primarily of common metals — steel, zinc and manganese — and do not pose a health or environmental risk during normal use or disposal. > > ``` > > It is important not to dispose of large amounts of alkaline batteries in a group. Used batteries are often not completely “dead.” Grouping used batteries together can bring these “live” batteries into contact with one another, creating safety risks. > > Proven cost-effective and environmentally safe recycling processes are not yet universally available for alkaline batteries. Duracell is a leader in the industry efforts to develop sound recycling options. Some communities offer recycling or collection of alkaline batteries — contact your local government for disposal practices in your area. Note the second paragraph, they tell you not to collect a bunch of them together. And from the bunny: > [@The Energizer bunny](#): > > United States Federal hazardous waste regulations are specific about relating waste determination to the > waste as generated. As generated, scrap carbon zinc and standard alkaline batteries are not a specifically listed > waste stream and they do not meet the criteria for ignitable, corrosive, reactive or toxic wastes. Scrap carbon zinc > and standard alkaline batteries are not hazardous waste and they are not regulated by the United States > Department of Transportation (DOT) as hazardous materials. [Duracell cite](http://www.duracell.com/care_disposal/disposal.asp) [The bunny’s PDF](http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/CZn%20Alkaline_disp.pdf) I know of no recycling project for either carbon zinc or alkaline batteries. I was in Lowe’s yesterday and saw their battery recycling box. It was for rechargeable batteries, not single use batteries. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/6 "2007-04-15T18:52:34Z")
[Pay no attention to that rabbit.](http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/UniversalWaste/Res_UW_General.cfm) From that page: As of February 8, 2006, waste batteries, electronic devices and fluorescent light bulbs may not be placed in the trash by anyone. If you’re really bored, the full text of the law is [here](http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/LawsRegsPolicies/Regs/upload/OEARA_REGS_UWR_FinalText.pdf) and a [guidance letter](http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/UniversalWaste/upload/Jt_Letter_DTSC_and_CIWMB_02-22-06.pdf) explaining the revocation of temporary exemptions that allowed consumers to dispose of batteries in the trash fills in a little more info and has a couple links to FAQ-type sites. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/7 "2007-04-15T20:08:46Z")
Ignorance fought, thanks. I find it interesting that the one of the reasons cited (in the FAQ) states that the reason for the law is the presence of Cadmium. [Particulary since there is no Cadmium in alkaline batteries.](http://www.duracell.com/oem/safety/pdf/2002_8.pdf) :dubious: I also find it fascinating that this apparently is a stealth law. I do not recall ever seeing any news stories on it, or enclosures from the city in my DWP bills on it. I think I will have to write my lawmakers and ask them WTF? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/8 "2007-04-15T21:46:49Z")
Yeah, it did kind of sneak in. Our garbage service puts something like “Reminder: It is illegal to place batteries or fluorescent lamps in your household trash receptacle.” at the bottom of the bill now and then. Naturally, they don’t say what you are supposed to do with them. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/9 "2007-04-15T21:58:09Z")
The nearest recycling center to me is about 12-13 miles away from my house. Driving 25 miles to dispose of something that the EPA says I can throw in my trash does not seem to be a very environmentally sound idea to me. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/10 "2007-04-15T23:17:33Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Ignorance fought, thanks. I find it interesting that the one of the reasons cited (in the FAQ) states that the reason for the law is the presence of Cadmium. [Particulary since there is no Cadmium in alkaline batteries.](http://www.duracell.com/oem/safety/pdf/2002_8.pdf) :dubious: [/QUOTE] Although there does appear to be potassium hydroxide in Alkaline batteries: > [@](#): > > Alkaline batteries all contained potassium hydroxide, a corrosive (WSC2), in concentrations up to 20%. Some also reported mercury at 0.5% to 1.0% (D009). Some alkaline batteries are sold as ‘mercury free’. > Zinc-Carbon batteries are the ordinary D cell flashlight battery. MSDS information reported varying amounts of mercury and potassium hydroxide (WSC2). Lead (D008) was reported on two MSDS. > Silver Oxide batteries would designate as hazardous wastes with potassium hydroxide (WSC2) at up to 8% concentration, silver oxide at up to 45% (D011), and some with mercury (D009) up to 1%. From Here: [http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/demodebris/pages2/demobatteries.html](http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/demodebris/pages2/demobatteries.html) So question: how safe is potassium hydroxide? ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/11 "2007-04-16T12:13:20Z")
This issue really grinds my gears. While the City has said that it’s now illegal to dispose of batteries and such in the trash, they’ve not offered any convenient alternate method of disposal. They need to have the Recycling company provide bags or something so we can just put them out with the bins. Driving across town, on the freeway, to throw away batteries at the collection site. Yeah, that’s gonna work. Idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/12 "2007-04-16T16:06:48Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] The nearest recycling center to me is about 12-13 miles away from my house. Driving 25 miles to dispose of something that the EPA says I can throw in my trash does not seem to be a very environmentally sound idea to me. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] [Here](http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php)’s a site where you can find a battery recycling location anywhere in the country. In the Detroit area (which is where I think you live), it mentions Home Depot, Radio Shack, Cingular Wireless stores, Sears, Office Depot, etc. The simplest thing, I think, would be to accumulate the discharged batteries until you’re already going to one of those stores and they may also have a bin for recycling fluorescent light bulbs. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/13 "2007-04-16T18:13:52Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] Yeah, it did kind of sneak in. Our garbage service puts something like “Reminder: It is illegal to place batteries or fluorescent lamps in your household trash receptacle.” at the bottom of the bill now and then. Naturally, they don’t say what you are supposed to do with them. [/QUOTE] It was all over our local papers. But not the recycling sites, alas. E-waste is illegal to throw away also. The nearest recycling center is about 15 miles, and in the middle of nowhere, but recently there have been school and Boy Scout e-waste recycling drives, so it is getting easier. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/14 "2007-04-16T18:17:29Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] [Here](http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php)’s a site where you can find a battery recycling location anywhere in the country. In the Detroit area (which is where I think you live), it mentions Home Depot, Radio Shack, Cingular Wireless stores, Sears, Office Depot, etc. The simplest thing, I think, would be to accumulate the discharged batteries until you’re already going to one of those stores and they may also have a bin for recycling fluorescent light bulbs. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the link! I’ve been in several of the stores with recycling near me quite frequently, and have never noticed a battery recycling bin. I’ll have to look for it the next time I’m there. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/15 "2007-04-16T19:47:35Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. The primary acutely toxic ingredient is concentrated (35%) potassium hydroxide. > 2. Anticipated potential leakage of potassium hydroxide is 2-20 ml, depending on battery size. > 3. This MSDS does not include or address the small button cell batteries, which can be ingested. So I found this in **Rick** ’s link above. It still doesn’t address whether potassium hydroxide is a problem in landfills, or escapes from landfills, but it doesn’t sound good. Does anyone have a good source on whether potassium hydroxide is the reason for keeping batteries out of household trash? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/16 "2007-04-16T20:43:56Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] Thanks for the link! I’ve been in several of the stores with recycling near me quite frequently, and have never noticed a battery recycling bin. I’ll have to look for it the next time I’m there. [/QUOTE] Actually, I reread the link I posted for locating battery recycling sites, and it emphasizes that the program is only for rechargeable batteries. ---
**Author:** ![titorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@titorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/titorian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/17 "2007-04-16T21:05:26Z")
I always just put bulbs and batteries in with the bottles and cans. I figure that the recycling folk will figure out what to do with them to keep them out of the landfill. Sure, they don’t want them, but looking at the big picture, if it works then who cares what they prefer. If enough people do it that way, then that will become the way to do it. In fact, the trend in cities around here is exactly that, to combine all recyclables into one bin/bag and have the sorting done by trained sort monkeys. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/18 "2007-04-16T23:46:32Z")
As a new car dealership we deal with Interstate batteries and they are happy to take all batteries for recycling including nicad , wet and dry cell as well as lithium batteries. I’m sure if you look in your yellow pages you could call to confirm this. I doubt that they are doing me a special favor by taking them .Bulbs I just break them and through them in the regular trash – I don’t know how safe that is but I’ve never seen a recycling facility for them. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trashing-batteries-light-bulbs/400170/19 "2007-04-17T13:17:22Z")
**titorian** , please don’t do that. I used to hear complaints from the Recycling Manager at a county where I worked. Light bulbs are not recyclable due to the amount of metal they contain (I mean elements and connection end, not the mercury in fluorescent bulbs.) If there gets to be too much trash in a batch of recycling most places will just throw out the whole batch rather than go through the added expense of picking out the crap or reduce the quality of the recycled material. So, by just casually throwing in stuff they ask not to be included, a person can defeat the purpose of the recycling. Plus, the job of sorting recycling for places that allow mixing is tough enough to intentionally make it more difficult. **Omegaman** , I’m not sure if you mean incandescent of fluorescent bulbs. The regular trash is the best spot for incandescent bulbs. Flourescent bulbs have mercury which is why they don’t want them in the waste stream. However, there is a problem with public policy in most areas on this matter. There does seem to be a lack of easy places to get rid of them properly, or they charge enough that most people say hell with it and chuck them. I am very concerned about this with the push for more use of energy saving fluorescent bulbs. Unless they are making them without mercury, I anticipate a steep rise in mercury contamination as people chuck them into the garbage. (Wouldn’t that be ironic. Have a push to reduce energy consumption and resulting mercury emissions from coal power plants by encouraging use of fluorescent bulbs, and mercury levels increase because no one thought to develop a plan to dispose of them.)