Battery recycling

Different kinds of old batteries

A worker is recycling the lead from batteries.

Many batteries are thrown away in regular waste after they have been used. Battery recycling is a name of the process of separately collecting such batteries so that they can be disposed of properly. Batteries contain metals such as lead, copper or zinc. In the form that is used in the batteries, these metals are very harmful to the environment - most are toxic. Collecting the batteries allows the extraction of some of the metals, which can then be re-used, not thrown away. The parts that cannot be extracted or re-used are disposed of in a way that is less harmful to the environment. For this reason, many countries have rules that say that a given percentage of all batteries must be re-cycled.

Battery composition by type

Italics designates button cell types.
Bold designates secondary types.
All figures are percentages; due to rounding they may not add up to exactly 100.

Type	Fe	Mn	Ni	Zn	Hg	Li	Ag	Cd	Co	Al	Pb	Other	KOH	Paper	Plastic	Alkali	C	Acids	Water	Other
Alkaline	24.8	22.3	0.5	14.9								1.3		1	2.2	5.4	3.7		10.1	14
Zinc-carbon	16.8	15		19.4							0.1	0.8		0.7	4	6	9.2		12.3	15.2
Lithium	50	19	1			2									7		2			19
Mercury-oxide	37	1	1	14	31								2		3		1		3	7
Zinc-air	42			35	1										4	4	1		10	3
Lithium	60	18	1			3									3		2			13
Alkaline	37	23	1	11	0.6										6	2	2		6	14
Silver oxide	42	2	2	9	0.4		31					4			2	1	0.5		2	4
Nickel-cadmium	35		22					15							10	2			5	11
NiMH	20	1	35	1					4			10			9	4			8	8
Li-ion	22					3			18	5		11					13			28
Lead-acid											65	4			10			16		5

Battery Recycling Media

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  Lead–acid batteries collected by an auto parts retailer for recycling.

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  4.5-Volt, D, C, AA, AAA, AAAA, A23, 9-Volt, CR2032, and LR44 cells are all recyclable in most countries

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  Several sizes of button and coin cell. They are all recyclable in the UK and Ireland.

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  A battery recycling station at a bus stop in Madrid.