> There is absolutely no reason why regular alkaline batteries can't end up in household garbage. Years ago mercury was common in alkalines, they were banned i

> There is absolutely no reason why regular alkaline batteries can't end up in household garbage. Years ago mercury was common in alkalines, they were banned in that use case in 1996: https://www.epa.gov/mercury/mercury-batteries https://www.epa.gov/mercury/mercury-batteries The collection bins that were in my local grocery stores went away within a few years of that.