| GRN Recycle Talk FAQ Answer |
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 98 14:26 WET DST From: FRIEDMAN.FRED@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV (Fred Friedman) Subject: Re: Are alkaline batteries toxic? (Eduardo Sastre)
July 8, 1998
Dear Eduardo Sastre,
Are alkaline batteries toxic?
As batteries, no they aren't. When they are taken apart for recycling, they have the potential to be. When they are incinerated, they have the potential to be, though only under certain conditions.
Why are so few states recycling them?
There are very few commercial processors of them and thus very few markets. Unless done on a magnified scale, they are uneconomical to process.
Is it expensive to recycle them?
It requires an initial outly of funds for the basic technology which is amortized after about 3-5 years of full scale processing. The initial technology is expensive.
Aren't soil and groundwater polluted?
Soil and groundwater historically have been polluted by automotive lead battery smelters. I don't know of an instance of an alkaline battery recycler doing the same, but there are so few of them and it has been going on for much less long. Incinerating certain kinds of mercury and cadmium bearing batteries is by far, the most polluting of household battery waste management, with landfilling coming in second.
Are there East Coast markets?
Yes
What East Coast companies recycle alkaline batteries?
INMETCO, 245 Portersville Rd, Ellwood City, PA 16117
Wade Environmental Industries, Battery Div., 293-C Jackson Rd., Atco, NJ 08004
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation runs several programs to collect household batteries including NiCads and mercury bearing ones (I don't know about alkalines). Their address is: 345 Route 17 South, Suite 44, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
Mercury Refining, Latham, NY takes alkalines.