Batteries are a convenient source of power and they are consumed and disposed off in great quantities. Most of our modern day gadgets are powered with batteries of different sizes and capacities which are often not recyclable. Every American throws away, on an average, 8 batteries per year.

Discarded batteries contain a number of dangerous heavy metal substances like lead, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, and mercury. These metals are highly toxic and when not disposed off in a proper manner tend to be very harmful for humans and wildlife. Batteries that find their way to landfills deteriorate to leach these dangerous metals into the soil. They seep into the ground water polluting it, affecting the entire food chain in the process. The ideal way to dispose off batteries is to take them to a toxic waste disposal dump.