Don't let your old batteries spark trouble! If you charge it, don't trash it!
Did you know that those small lithium-ion batteries found in old phones, laptops, kids toys and other devices can be potentially hazardous if they're tossed into the trash with your other household garbage?
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are considered household hazardous waste (HHW), which consists of leftover household products that can catch fire, react, or explode when in contact with other substances, or are toxic. There is an increased demand for Li-ion batteries in electronics due to their small size and amount of energy they can store. These batteries can be a fire hazard when placed in household garbage or recycling containers.
When the batteries have reached the end of their useful life, or the item that contains the battery is no longer useful, they must be considered household hazardous waste and be disposed of properly. Li-ion batteries are commonly found in cell phones, laptops, tablets or e-readers, toys, e-cigarettes, power tools, etc.
Find a battery recycler near you at call2recycle.org.