Got Dead Batteries? It's Illegal in Calif. to Toss Them in the Trash

The state Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is reminding consumers to properly dispose of used batteries.

Officials with the department, also known as CalRecycle, said that used batteries should never be thrown away into the garbage or a residential recycling bin. All batteries, including non-rechargeable ones, can be taken to household hazardous waste sites where workers will properly dispose of them, CalRecycle spokeswoman Heather Jones said.

According to CalRecycle officials, used batteries are corrosive and can contain cobalt, nickel, cadmium and other toxic heavy metals, which can leak into groundwater and pollute soil.

In recent years, disposable batteries have been made more durable, but improperly disposing of them is still very unsafe and against the law, according to CalRecycle.

CalRecycle officials said putting batteries in residential recycling bins creates a host of problems for recycling facilities and they are not equipped to break down and dispose of the material in batteries properly. In addition, disposing of batteries in residential recycling or garbage poses a health risk to the public and disposal workers, CalRecycle officials said.

CalRecycle officials encourage consumers to find their local household hazardous waste facility and take their used batteries there for disposal.

--Bay City News; Image by John Seb Barber via WikiMedia Commons