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FACTSHEET March2017
Environmental Health & Safety 262 Alexander Street Princeton, NJ 08540 T: 609-258-5294 E: [email protected]
UsedBatteryDisposal
Many labs have equipment that runs directlyfrom battery power or uses batteries as abackupsourceofenergyintheeventofapowerfailure.Many of these batteries contain toxic,heavymetalsandthereforemustbemanagedinasafeandenvironmentallysustainablemanner.
The following is a quick guide listing somecommonbatteries and thepropermethods ofdisposal.
BatteriesForGeneralWaste(Trash)
AlkalineBatteries
Alkalinebatteriesarenot rechargeableanddonotcontainanyregulatedhazardousmaterials.From a life cycle and energy managementstandpoint,recyclinganalkalinebatteryismoreenvironmentallydetrimentalthandisposingofitdirectly in the trash;i.e.,landfilling.
Princeton Universityfollowsthisguidelineanddoesnotrecyclealkaline batteries.Please help ourBuildingServicesstaffandrefrain fromplacingalkaline batteries in the universalwaste/recyclingpails.
BatteriesForRecycling
The following batteries are collected forrecyclingandareprohibitedfromdisposalinthegeneral trash. Building Services providescontainers inresearchbuildingsoncampusforcollectingbatteriesapprovedforrecycling.
LithiumBatteries
Lithiumbatteriesaretypicallynon-rechargeableand contain lithium, a water reactive alkalimetal. They are commonly known as “buttoncell”batteriesduetotheirsmall size.Theyare commonly foundin watches, laserpointers, computermotherboards,andotherelectronicdevicesthatrequireapowersourceofsmallsize.
Nickel/MetalHydride(Ni-MH)Batteries
Ni-MHBatteriescontainaNiOOHpositiveelectrodeand a water reactive,metal alloy forming thenegative electrode. Batteries of this type arerechargeable and available in sizes similar toalkalinebatteries(sizeAAA,AA,C,andD).
Nickel/MetalHydride (Ni-MH)batteriescanbeidentifiedbythemarkings“RECHARGEABLE”OR“Ni-MH”.
MercuryandSilverOxideBatteries
Non-rechargeable batteries similar inappearancetothelithiumbuttoncellbatteriesmentionedabove.Mercuryandsilveraretoxic
FUNFACTRecyclablebatteriesarecategorizedbytheEPAasuniversalwaste,i.e.hazardousbutcommon(otherexamplesincludepesticidesandmercurylamps).Whilestorageandshippingrequirementsarelessstringent,properdisposalismandatory.
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FACTSHEET March2017
Environmental Health & Safety 262 Alexander Street Princeton, NJ 08540 T: 609-258-5294 E: [email protected]
UsedBatteryDisposal
metals regulated as hazardous waste thatshouldneverbedisposedinthetrash.
Although this type ofbattery is becomingincreasingrare, itmaystillbe found in olderequipment.
Nickel-Cadmium(Ni-Cad)Batteries
Ni-Cad batteries are a very commonrechargeable battery found in many devices,most commonly incordless power tools.The presence ofcadmium, a toxicmetal, requires thisbatterytoberecycled.Ni-Cadbatteriesareavailableinahostofsizesfrom large rectangulardevices to smaller sizesakintoalkalinebatteries.
Lithium-IonBatteries
Lithium-ionbatteriesaremostcommonlyfoundin devices that drain a significant amount ofpowerquicklysuchascameras,cordlesspowertools and, mostcommonly, laptopcomputers. Theycome insizessimilarto that of Ni-Cadbatteries.
A number of these batteriesmanufactured bySony in Dell, Sony, Apple, Lenovo, Panasonic,ToshibaandSharplaptopcomputershavebeenrecalled in the past due to possibility of a
dangerous short circuit causing the units tobecome unstable, posing a risk of explosion.These batteries must be recycled as universalwaste.
Lead-SulfuricAcidBatteries
Lead-acidbatteriesarecommonlyknownascarbatteries.Theycontainbothatoxicheavymetal(lead) andcorrosive liquid(sulfuricacid),bothof which arehazardousmaterials.
Smaller versionsofthisbatteryareoftenfoundinuninterruptablepower supplies (UPS) and emergency lightingsystems. They are rechargeable but have alifespanof3-5years.
Due to their size, these batteries are notcollectedinnormallabrecyclingcontainers,butrather large blue plastic drums. Collectiondrums are located in the following areas:Engineering Quadrangle loading dock, LewisThomasLabloadingdock,CarlIcahnLabloadingdock,andFrickChemistrystockroom.
Contact EHS for more information aboutrecyclingbatteries.
FUNFACTTopreventshort-circuitsandpotentialfirehazardduringstorageandtransport,batteryterminalsmustbetapedoverpriortoplacing
thebatteryintothereceptacle.
