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Don’t Toss Out That Battery |
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Don’t Toss Out That Battery
Opportunities abound for companies to move to rechargeable batteries and to recycle old ones.
By Daniel Kopp
The proliferation of electronics in the business world brings with it the cost of power and another opportunity to think green. Battery power is quickly proving to be one of the most efficient uses of energy for many key products used daily in the business environment.
Developments over the past 10 years have elevated the popularity of batteries, as most can be recharged and recycled.
Rechargeable batteries are available for most electronics, and they offer a longer life than non-rechargeable ones. But even rechargeable batteries wear out, and it is important to recycle both types.
Battery retailers saw national consumer rechargeable sales grow at a rate of 21.6 percent last year, compared to the same period in 2006. Consumers are making a change to rechargeable batteries as a way to increase their “green” lifestyles.
Rechargeables Are Cost Effective
Look around you right now and you will most likely find at least two products that require a battery. Whether a watch, iPod, cell phone, laptop or pager, batteries are ubiquitous. Americans are on the move more than ever before and when they go, they want to take their things with them.
Some businesses may use consumer electronic products that are obsolete on the market and, for whatever reasons, prefer to continue using them. In this case it is possible for them to have the batteries for these products rebuilt in a battery tech center. For example, there may be a camcorder from the 1980s that remains a favorite device for recording. If the battery for this device is no longer available for sale on the market, many battery retailers offer the service of an in-house tech center that can rebuild it.
Use of rechargeable batteries not only is better for the environment, but also results in long-term savings for the user. Although the initial cost of a NiMH rechargeable battery and charger is more costly than a standard alkaline, oxy-nickel or lithium-ion battery, over a lifetime the rechargeable battery becomes 30 times more cost effective. For example, in a digital camera, a standard AA alkaline can last for 60-90 pictures, the oxy-nickel can last for 140-160 pictures, the lithium-ion for up to 600 pictures, but the NiMH lasts for nearly 90,000 pictures throughout its lifetime.
As demand increases, prices of the high-end batteries are expected to decrease, resulting in more savings. Lithium-ion batteries are forecast to experience the greatest price drop as production methods advance and economies of scale are achieved. The price of NIMH batteries also is expected to decrease. The further commercialization of oxy-nickel batteries will also help market expansion.
Dispose of Batteries Properly
Each year in the United States, billions of used batteries are disposed of in solid waste facilities. This constitutes 88 percent of the mercury and 54 percent of the cadmium deposited into our landfills. Since the use of batteries is practically a necessity in our daily lives, our management of these batteries should promote source reduction and recycling. These are the essential keys to preventing pollution and reducing liabilities and costs.
Recycling batteries is good environmental policy and saves natural resources. It keeps all hazardous metal in the same place, rather than spreading it all over landfills. Metals reclaimed from battery recycling are reused and re-manufactured to build more batteries. Also, the plastic recovered from the recycled batteries can be reused.
When recycling, look for a retailer that participates in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved methods of recycling in full compliance with all federal, state and Department of Transportation regulations governing the disposal of rechargeable batteries. Return your dead rechargeable batteries to a recycler that is registered with the Rechargeable Battery Recyclable Corporation, a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping rechargeable batteries and cell phones out of the solid waste stream and preserving natural resources. Visit www.rbrc.org to find a drop off site near you.
Planning and Education Are Key
For a battery recycling program to work effectively, businesses must analyze their waste streams, examine all administrative issues associated with a battery recycling program, evaluate battery collections and educate their employees on the benefits of a battery recycling program.
Collecting recyclable items is only the first step in recycling. The loop is not complete until these items are made into new products. By purchasing products that are manufactured from recycled materials, are recyclable themselves, and are packaged in recyclable materials, businesses will help create a stable market for recycled items. Look for items made from recycled materials the next time your company purchases supplies.
As the demand for recharging and recycling batteries continues to grow, an industry has grown to fill the niche. When the first battery stores in America started opening nearly 20 years ago, many people couldn’t believe it—a store selling only batteries? Now, with battery stores opening nationwide—some with more than 12,000 varieties of batteries available—these retailers are not only riding the trends of “going green” and “mobility” but were one of the first to catch the wave.
Daniel Kopp is the owner of Batteries Plus at 130408 Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park. Information about battery recycling is available at www.batteriesplus.com/t-recycle.aspx. You can reach Daniel at (913) 897-4200.
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