Wednesday,  December 11 , 2024

Linkedin Pinterest
News / Business

The complicated process of recycling batteries in Washington

As we use more batteries in our daily lives, our ability to dispose of them will struggle to keep up.

By Hannah Weinberger, Crosscut
Published: October 3, 2022, 6:00am
4 Photos
Alkaline batteries are separated and dumped into a bin at the North Seattle Hazardous Waste site, where people can drop off everything from car batteries to lithium-ion batteries, on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Washington state is increasing concerned over the number of batteries in use and is spurring a decade-old statewide effort to create a formal battery stewardship program in both Washington state, and more locally within King County.
Alkaline batteries are separated and dumped into a bin at the North Seattle Hazardous Waste site, where people can drop off everything from car batteries to lithium-ion batteries, on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Washington state is increasing concerned over the number of batteries in use and is spurring a decade-old statewide effort to create a formal battery stewardship program in both Washington state, and more locally within King County. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut) Photo Gallery

At first glance, you might think Phil Currie is holding the world’s least appetizing bar of chocolate. But the damaged computer battery — glossy, dark and segmented into bulging squares within a large Ziploc — presents a much bigger health risk than a Hershey’s.

“We can’t put these with other batteries because it might cause a fire,” said the environmental field site specialist, standing amid drums and boxes full of battery waste at the North Seattle Hazardous Waste Facility.

Thank you for reading The Columbian.

Subscribe for only $99/year to get unlimited access.

Already a subscriber? Sign in right arrow icon

Support local journalism

Your tax-deductible donation to The Columbian’s Community Funded Journalism program will contribute to better local reporting on key issues, including homelessness, housing, transportation and the environment. Reporters will focus on narrative, investigative and data-driven storytelling.

Local journalism needs your help. It’s an essential part of a healthy community and a healthy democracy.

Community Funded Journalism logo
Loading...
window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',(event)=>{var img=document.createElement('img');var src='https://www.google-analytics.com/collect?v=1';src+='&tid=UA-1197400-7';src+='&cid=1';src+='&t=pageview';src+='&dl='+encodeURIComponent('https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/09/complicated-process-recycling-batteries-washington-state');src+='&dt='+encodeURIComponent('The complicated process of recycling batteries in Washington state');src+='&dr='+encodeURIComponent(window.location.href);img.src=src;document.body.appendChild(img);});