4 ms·

I'm surprised. For as long as I can remember, disposing of any battery was only allowed in special places/bins. Batteries never belonged into the trash for me.

I'm surprised. For as long as I can remember, disposing of any battery was only allowed in special places/bins. Batteries never belonged into the trash for me. And .. quote: "The act does not cover batteries or battery packs weighing 24 pounds or more; batteries used as the principal power source for cars, boats, trucks, tractors, golf carts, wheelchairs or other vehicles; batteries used to store electricity from solar or wind-driven generators; or batteries that provide backup power an an essential part of an electronic device." Doesn't this basically make this one giant mess, defeating the good intention? So any normal battery, any rechargeable battery that you loaded from a solar panel, the real messy big ones etc. - are still unrestricted? Hilarious.

jsight 15y ago
I think the difference with large batteries is that battery recycling is already fairly prevalent and covered by existing statutes (core charges, etc). I doubt many people would toss a Prius battery in the trash without thinking. I still don't think this is a good law, though. I don't expect this to have a material impact on battery recycling.
SamReidHughes 15y ago
My clock radio has an internal battery that lets the clock and alarm operate even when unplugged. Presumably it recharges. How are consumers going to even realize that such a battery exists, when throwing the device in the trash? Are they to be expected to disassemble the device and remove the battery?
- darklajid 15y ago
  Well.. You probably won't like my answer, but here it goes: Don't throw that stuff in the trash in the first place. Really. I understand that this is common in lots of places (here in Tel Aviv recycling seems to be a joke as well), but I think that stinks. I'm not a nutjob or a treehugger, but really, some things should be handled differently (and with care) if you want to dispose it. It's relatively easy to do it on your end (if the relevant education is in place. Talking about dos and don'ts - no offense or derogatory meaning implied) and a hard and messy job on the other side of the trash processing. What would I do in Germany? Well, trash is already separated in special plastic things (the yoghurt you just ate? The container is not trash) and 'normal stuff' (think everything non-toxic that remains). If you want to throw away big things (furniture, TV): Call the municipality, they'll come to your home and get it. For free, a couple of times per year (free is a lie: That service is already paid for by you anyway). Want to throw away smaller things? Batteries? Shops that sell batteries have to take back old ones. Every now and then you'll have the opportunity to drop off small gadgets and related things, usually at a van/truck that goes around (and helps educating about recycling as well). Last option: You can drive up to the (no idea how you'd name this correctly) garbage place and bring your stuff. They'll let you (free of course, with the same caveat from above) dispose everything and show you where to place wood, where you'd drop electrical devices, where metal should end up. It works. Germany's not that small and I don't think it's too much effort for the individual (again: I'm lazy. And not a tree hugger in any way). I know that a lot more countries do comparable things. This law that started the thread? It sounds weird if you have the background described above. It looks like a crappy half-baked idea - neither particularly helpful nor enforceable. And obviously, as you just proved with that question, going against the general public's idea of how to handle your garbage.

jsight 15y ago

I think the difference with large batteries is that battery recycling is already fairly prevalent and covered by existing statutes (core charges, etc). I doubt many people would toss a Prius battery in the trash without thinking. I still don't think this is a good law, though. I don't expect this to have a material impact on battery recycling.

SamReidHughes 15y ago

My clock radio has an internal battery that lets the clock and alarm operate even when unplugged. Presumably it recharges. How are consumers going to even realize that such a battery exists, when throwing the device in the trash? Are they to be expected to disassemble the device and remove the battery?

darklajid 15y ago
Well.. You probably won't like my answer, but here it goes: Don't throw that stuff in the trash in the first place. Really. I understand that this is common in lots of places (here in Tel Aviv recycling seems to be a joke as well), but I think that stinks. I'm not a nutjob or a treehugger, but really, some things should be handled differently (and with care) if you want to dispose it. It's relatively easy to do it on your end (if the relevant education is in place. Talking about dos and don'ts - no offense or derogatory meaning implied) and a hard and messy job on the other side of the trash processing. What would I do in Germany? Well, trash is already separated in special plastic things (the yoghurt you just ate? The container is not trash) and 'normal stuff' (think everything non-toxic that remains). If you want to throw away big things (furniture, TV): Call the municipality, they'll come to your home and get it. For free, a couple of times per year (free is a lie: That service is already paid for by you anyway). Want to throw away smaller things? Batteries? Shops that sell batteries have to take back old ones. Every now and then you'll have the opportunity to drop off small gadgets and related things, usually at a van/truck that goes around (and helps educating about recycling as well). Last option: You can drive up to the (no idea how you'd name this correctly) garbage place and bring your stuff. They'll let you (free of course, with the same caveat from above) dispose everything and show you where to place wood, where you'd drop electrical devices, where metal should end up. It works. Germany's not that small and I don't think it's too much effort for the individual (again: I'm lazy. And not a tree hugger in any way). I know that a lot more countries do comparable things. This law that started the thread? It sounds weird if you have the background described above. It looks like a crappy half-baked idea - neither particularly helpful nor enforceable. And obviously, as you just proved with that question, going against the general public's idea of how to handle your garbage.