Community Chat

[Abrowneyegirl]

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@tdog wrote:

I put them in a cardboard box! I never thought about them causing a fire. 

what is the right way to store them? I can't drive out to the dump every week?

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The Fireman's advice was to secure them into the package the new ones came from or tape over the ends with non-conductive tape.  We took that to mean electrical tape.  ??

I would appreciate other suggestions.

[DiAnne]

I take them to the library where they have a recycling bin in the lobby.  

[on the bay]

I learned last year from an article my aunt sent that the tops ends of D batteries should not come in contact with each other. Fires can be started just from that. I never knew that either!

So I don't let any size batteries touch each one's positive ends.

(I'm sure there was a better way to say this but hope its clear enough)

[kivah]

I've put scotchtape on the battery ends ------- the + side and - side ------- when they're loose in my dresser drawer. I try to keep them in the packaging they come in --- all separated. Yes - they can cause a fire.

[VaBelle35]

This is interesting, thanks so much for posting this.  I, too, throw mine all in a cardboard box and take them to a local grocery store who disposes of them.  At the store, we just throw them in a large plastic bin.

On the TSA website, they tell you to pack your batteries by taping them with scotch tape.  I never knew why they required that.  Now I know!

[Abrowneyegirl]

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@VaBelle35 wrote:

This is interesting, thanks so much for posting this.  I, too, throw mine all in a cardboard box and take them to a local grocery store who disposes of them.  At the store, we just throw them in a large plastic bin.

On the TSA website, they tell you to pack your batteries by taping them with scotch tape.  I never knew why they required that.  Now I know!

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It is good to know scotch tape works!  Thank you.

[Yardlie]

We have a friend who is a master electrician. He said that when you dispose of a battery, put a small piece of electrical tape on each end of it so that the contacts are covered. I then keep them in a separate place little box until we make a trip to the hazardous waste disposal site.

I'll never forget the time we took a trip, and my mother was with us. She is extremely obsessive compulsive. She brought along two extra batteries for her flashlight and didn't want them loose in her luggage. She wrapped them up in aluminum foil! When we got to our location, the little package of batteries was very hot...she was lucky a fire didn't start. She lives with us, and I have to monitor her very closely as she "over does" everything.

[Spurt]

I store mine in the original package or in plastic battery storage boxes I purchased at the Container Store........

Here's some good tips. 

http://www.wikihow.com/Store-Batteries

[Abrowneyegirl]

@YardlieShe wrapped her batteries in foil, now that is priceless!!

LOL

[sunshine45]

i was reading several websites that state alkaline batteries are perfectly save to throw out in the regular garbage.

When the remote is dead and it’s time for new batteries, what do you do with the old ones? Is there a stack of dead batteries sitting in your house, because you’ve been told that batteries can’t go in the garbage? It turns out, most regular batteries are absolutely fine to throw out with all your other trash.

As Duracell’s website says: “Alkaline batteries can be safely disposed of with normal household waste.” Energizer confirms that regular batteries are fine to toss in the trash, but says rechargeable batteries should be recycled according to US federal guidelines.

According to Duracell, it’s actually been safe to throw out batteries for over 20 years. Up until the mid-90s, regular batteries contained mercury, which is highly poisonous.

http://qz.com/331854/fyi-its-totally-fine-to-throw-away-most-batteries/