(BPT) - The holidays have arrived, and so has holiday shopping! No matter who has made it onto your nice list — kids, DIYers, power tool enthusiasts, tech geeks, crafters, outdoorsy types, cooks, even yourself — it’s a good bet many gifts you purchase this year will include rechargeable batteries.
To prepare for new battery-powered items coming into your home, the holiday season is a great time to quit the battery-hoarding habit and make a fresh start. You can do that by recycling the rechargeable batteries that have been hiding in your junk drawers, garage, basement or closets.
“New York State has been firmly committed to battery recycling for a long time, and we find consumers want to do the right thing and recycle,” says Leo Raudys, CEO of Call2Recycle, which manages rechargeable battery stewardship in the state. “But too many people just don’t know how or where to recycle batteries that have come to the end of their lives.”
Raudys says even if you’re befuddled about battery recycling, you don’t have to throw up your hands. Here are four reasons why battery recycling matters in New York, and some advice on how to get your batteries out of the house and on their way to recycling plants:
- Proper battery recycling is the law in New York. Tossing rechargeable batteries in the trash is illegal throughout the state. So, just don’t do it. New York law also requires retailers who sell products that use rechargeables to collect spent batteries of the same type. (More on that below.)
- Battery recycling is good for the environment — and the future. “Not only does recycling keep batteries out of landfills, it also provides valuable materials for making new batteries without additional mining and extraction,” Raudys says. “That makes recycling a win for U.S. industry and the economy, as well as for the planet.”
- Safety first! Damaged, defective and recalled batteries are a fire-safety hazard. By properly disposing of batteries, you reduce the likelihood of causing dangerous sparking or a fire at home or in trash or battery collection facilities. That’s especially important for protecting employees who handle waste, Raudys says.
- It’s easy! Just remove your batteries from the device they power. Then take the batteries to the New York retailer where you bought the device or any store with a battery collection sign in the window.
Most New Yorkers live within a few short miles of a collection point. You can find a drop-off location for rechargeable batteries, including e-bike batteries, on Call2Recycle’s website.
“There’s no good reason not to recycle used batteries in New York,” Raudys says. “Recycling rechargeable batteries is free for consumers, and drop-off points are abundant. Batteries power our lives these days, and it’s a shared responsibility to recycle them properly.”
This sponsored article is presented by Brandpoint.