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.
Try to conserve on the use of batteries as far as possible. Switch off toys and appliances when they are not in use, or remove the batteries as this will ensure that they last longer. It has been noted that forty percent of all batteries sold are sold during the holiday season. Buy your family and friends gifts that do not require batteries to be used. �
Opting for high capacity rechargeable batteries is one option to save on battery costs. This will allow you to minimize the number of disposable batteries that you will have to buy. Depending on the design of the battery, some rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to a thousand times. The process of recharging a battery merely reverses the chemical reaction that occurs within the battery, restoring its battery almost to its new state. The most common form of rechargeable batteries are nickel metal hydride batteries. These batteries are used in a multitude of applications ranging from cellular and cordless phones, digital cameras to portable power tools. These batteries are considered to be more environmentally friendly as compared to nickel cadmium batteries as they do not contain any cadmium.
Though rechargeable batteries are more expensive than disposable batteries they provide a return on investment due to their longevity and reuse value. They also reduce the number of disposable batteries that find their way to landfills and cause leaching problems in the long run.
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