Batteries are often thrown out without much thought of recycling them. However, batteries can be harmful to the environment and create more waste in your local landfill. Here are five reasons to keep batteries out of the trash. 

Why You Should Keep Batteries out of Landfills 

1. Earn Money 

Most people don’t realize that you can receive money for recycling old batteries. Recycling centers pay cash when you bring in your unused and old batteries. The amount of money depends on the battery type and the material used to make the battery. 

2. Reduce Material Waste 

Recycling is important because it keeps usable as well as dangerous materials out of the trash. Batteries are expensive to make because they require nickel, cobalt, and lithium, which are costly to mine. Mining for these materials is also dangerous to the environment and humans. Mining for nickel, the metal used in car batteries, can stir up potentially toxic materials like cobalt and chromium. Recycling the materials used to make batteries ensures they have less of an impact on the environment. 

3. Environmental Regulations 

There are some federal laws that require you to recycle batteries made of lead, lithium, or nickel-cadmium. This law makes sure that dangerous toxins are handled properly and stay out of landfills. Check your batteries for these materials before tossing them in the garbage. 

4. Landfill 

Batteries take up valuable space in our landfills and are dangerous. Once they begin to corrode, they can leak dangerous chemicals like lead and mercury. They can also start fires underground in landfills. For example, lithium batteries are especially dangerous as they can catch fire quickly and will burn for a long time. 

5. Heavy Metal Poisoning 

As mentioned above, these harmful chemicals can leak from the battery and into the landfill. From there, the dangerous toxins can enter the groundwater. This could lead to a major public health concern if the water supplied to homes is contaminated with these hazardous chemicals. 

If you’re looking for an established battery recycling center, consider David Hirschberg Steel & Recycling in Cincinnati, OH. People all over the tri-state area have relied on them to provide the best customer service and properly dispose of batteries. In addition to batteries, they also pay cash for other metals like stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. Call (513) 821-0514 or visit the website for more information.