Battery Disposal California
Alkaline batteries are used for an assortment of consumer electronics, but once those batteries are drained of power most people do not know how to properly dispose of old alkaline batteries. The reason is that battery disposal guidelines are different for each state. For example, in some states, alkaline batteries can be thrown in the trash after they are used, but Li-ion batteries such as those found in cell phones can not be placed in the normal waste bin. Thankfully, there is a lot less ambiguity for residents in California who find themselves asking, “Can you throw away batteries in California?“. The reason is that unlike other states who believe it is okay to place old alkaline batteries in the normal trash bin, California views all batteries as hazardous waste. That means if you live in the State of California it is important to properly dispose of old batteries.How do you dispose of batteries in California?
As mentioned above, the law in California states that single-use alkaline batteries are not allowed to be thrown in the normal trash regardless of what Duracell or Energizer say on their company websites about it being okay. So how do you dispose of single-use batteries in California? The answer is the same way you would dispose of rechargeable batteries or lithium-ion batteries: at a local battery recycling facility or collection location.Rechargeable batteries and lithium-ion batteries are manufactured with many hazardous metals and other materials that have the potential to leak into the Earth and groundwater at a landfill. That is an unnecessary result that is dangerous for all California residents. Therefore, batteries should never be tossed away in the trash. Proper disposal of these types of batteries is critical for safe environmental practices. California views alkaline batteries such as the AA, AAA, C, and D single-use batteries used in almost all home electronics as equally hazardous as those lit-ion and rechargeable batteries.
Where can I recycle batteries in my area?
In California, there is not a single type of battery that should ever be thrown in the trash. None! That is why it is imperative to find a battery recycling near me that will properly dispose of used alkaline, rechargeable, lithium-ion and other forms of batteries. Thankfully, there are a number of free battery recycling programs out there for California residents from Orange County to San Francisco and everywhere in between the Golden State! These battery recycling locations include places such as Home Depot, Best Buy, or many of the weekly Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers that are located in each county (contact your city for more information on these free battery recycling locations). Another resource is to call 1-800-CLEAN-UP (800-253-2687) for more assistance on finding a free battery recycling location in California near you!Original article published on Recycling Center Near Me website: Can you throw away batteries in California?
Taking computer recycling seriously is very important if you want to make your contribution towards a greener planet. There are currently no federal regulations on e-waste recycling, so individual states have to come up with their own regulations. Only about half of the states in the US have so far come up with such regulations. However, regardless of which state you live in, it is a matter of responsibility to find out the available computer recycling options.
We live in a wireless world that runs on batteries, most of which contain toxic metals that can be extremely harmful to the environment. Only a very small percentage of alkaline batteries get recycled after use. At least for the car batteries that contain lead and acid, the recycling rate in the US is over 90%. That has been possible because manufacturers of such batteries have initiated the efforts to recycle them. However, for most of the smaller batteries commonly used in households, many efforts in creating awareness for recycling are needed. Don’t just throw away batteries after use Lead, cadmium, mercury, cobalt and other toxic materials contained in different types of batteries should never find their way to the landfills. If that happens, they will cause soil contamination and finally find their way into the water or food that we end up consuming. The toxic effects on humans include diseases like cancer, respiratory and kidney problems. So if you are kind to our planet should never throw batteries into the trash. Your city’s municipal solid waste management processes cannot take care of that. So all the batteries you have used in various devices at home should go to a recycling center near you.
Plastic is literally everywhere on our planet. It has become a vital part of our lives, which are mostly driven by convenience. However, that convenience comes at a price. Thanks to its resiliency, nearly every piece of plastic ever made still exists today. A very significant amount of it is thrown away and ends up in landfills, and sadly in the ocean. It is estimated that there are some five trillion pieces of plastic in the world’s oceans. By 2050, it is predicted that there will be more plastic, by weight, in the ocean than fish. Every year, around 8 million tons of plastic finds its way to the sea. In the U.S. alone, nearly 2.5 million plastic bottles are used every hour. It gets worse from there. All this plastic ends up swirling around in the ocean creating immensely large trash islands. One of the world’s largest is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. While it’s difficult to get an actual size measurement, some estimates have it equal to the size of Texas, roughly 700,000 square kilometers. This area has one of the highest levels of plastic particulate caused by plastic degradation. Essentially, the plastic degrades and disintegrates into pieces so small that it becomes small enough to be ingested by aquatic organisms. It then becomes part of the food chain. There is actually growing evidence that fish may prefer eating plastic to food. There is also evidence that plastic is harmful to humans. Plastic’s main ingredient, styrene, is most likely a human carcinogen. There’s no evidence just yet that says the plastic that we eat in fish directly affects human health, but it is certainly getting there. Some of these plastic particles end up in the stomachs of marine animals like albatrosses and sea turtles. Many of the former lose approximately 1/3 of their chicks. Many of them die due to their eating plastic that is fed to them, when it is mistaken as food by their parents. It is estimated that every year, nearly five tons of debris gets fed to albatross chicks. Microscopic debris can also be eaten by jellyfish, which are then eaten by fish. It is a deathly cycle that doesn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon. With a life span of over 500 years, plastic isn’t going anywhere. In America, 50% of what gets put into the