Today is National Battery Day, the holiday you never knew existed. It celebrates the ubiquity and usefulness of batteries by honoring their inventor, Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, born Feb. 18, 1745.
Clark County Public Health is marking the date with a reminder that used batteries should not be tossed in the trash but should be recycled, either through curbside recycling (with caveats) or by dropping them off at household hazardous waste-collection sites at transfer centers in Washougal, Vancouver and Orchards. You also might be able to recycle batteries on your next trip to the hardware store.
“We have retail site locations throughout the county that are open during regular business hours,” said Marissa Armstrong, Clark County Public Health communications manager. “There are some people who don’t have curbside recycling or live in complexes where they don’t have the curbside bin. This is an option for them.”
In addition to transfer stations, there are 14 locations in Clark County (and a Lowe’s Hardware just across the river in Portland’s Delta Park neighborhood) that accept used batteries for recycling, ranging from locally owned and national chain hardware stores to Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Vancouver’s Water Resources Education Center, Port of Camas-Washougal and the Clark County Public Works office at the 78th Street Heritage Farm in Hazel Dell. Check clark.wa.gov/public-health/recycling-z for a complete list of locations with addresses and phone numbers. Armstrong said it’s a good idea to call first to confirm hours.
No matter how you plan to recycle batteries, Armstrong said, it’s crucial to properly prepare them so that they don’t combust inside recycling trucks or at transfer stations, endangering workers and equipment. (Armstrong confirmed that such fires have happened in Clark County, although she wasn’t able to provide information on specific incidents.)
Batteries should be taped at both ends. Any kind of tape is suitable, including Scotch tape, Armstrong said. Taped batteries should be sealed inside a clear plastic bag. If using the curbside recycling option, batteries should be placed on top of recycling bins, but never inside, Armstrong said. Any batteries that aren’t taped should be individually bagged; that is, one untaped battery per bag. These steps ensure that loose batteries won’t ignite a truckful of trash.
“The idea is you want some sort of barrier there to prevent the ends from touching,” Armstrong said.
Batteries that can be recycled via the curbside method include alkaline and rechargeable AA, AAA, C, D, button cell and 9-volt batteries, as well as hearing aid and watch batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries (found in smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, tablets and power tools) should never be recycled curbside but should always be delivered to drop-off locations.
Lithium-ion batteries are especially susceptible to ignition, Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said. She couldn’t provide exact numbers on how many Clark County fires are caused by cellphone or other types of batteries, but she did offer a word of caution.
“When you’re charging things, maybe don’t charge overnight,” Scarpelli said.
That includes bicycles and scooters, as well as cellphones and laptops, she added.
“Make sure it’s on a safe location, not on a combustible material like carpet, wood or cloth,” Scarpelli said.
There are a few guidelines to keep in mind when dropping off batteries for recycling, according to Wednesday’s news release from Clark County Public Health.
Drop-offs at retail locations are limited to 10 batteries per person per day. Larger quantities can be dropped at transfer stations.
Types of batteries accepted at all drop-off sites include alkaline, button and coin cells, carbon zinc, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, nickel zinc and small-sealed lead acid less than 5 pounds. Lithium-ion batteries and lithium primary batteries are also accepted at any drop-off location, as are whole cellphones, “regardless of size, make, model or age,” according to the news release.
Batteries that can’t be recycled at drop-off sites include those from businesses, batteries larger than 300 watt-hours or any product containing a battery (aside from cellphones). Car batteries or batteries that are damaged, defective or recalled can’t be left at drop-off sites but can be brought to transfer stations, along with vaping or e-cigarette devices and other hazardous household waste.
“Our website has a list of all these locations. People can also use the RecycleRight app, which is free,” Armstrong said. “You can just type in whatever items you want to recycle, and it will pull up all the options. Batteries are on there, but it can be used for hundreds of other items as well.”
