Comments on: There May Be No Need to Recycle Alkaline Batteries http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/ For People and Planet Earth Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:52:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Will http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-11087 Will Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:40:54 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-11087 Happy - Read <a href="http://willtaft.com/environment/yes-we-do-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/">this post</a> for more information and then follow the link in comment #11 on that post to The Big Green Box list of participants. Locate a business on the list in your area that will take your alkaline batteries for free. Here the local Walgreens has a Big Green Box, and the number of participants is expanding all the time. Hope that helps! Happy - Read this post for more information and then follow the link in comment #11 on that post to The Big Green Box list of participants. Locate a business on the list in your area that will take your alkaline batteries for free. Here the local Walgreens has a Big Green Box, and the number of participants is expanding all the time. Hope that helps!

]]> By: The Happy Rock http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-11075 The Happy Rock Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:05:25 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-11075 Will, Thanks for the hard work. I have been storing alkalines for months because I couldn't find a good answer on what to do with them. Most people still think they need special disposal, although no one does it. Any idea how to get the batteries to Toxco? I hate the idea of just trashing them? The Happy Rocks last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHappyRock/~3/333991832/">Community In Action - Debt Elimination Party</a> Will,

Thanks for the hard work. I have been storing alkalines for months because I couldn’t find a good answer on what to do with them.

Most people still think they need special disposal, although no one does it.

Any idea how to get the batteries to Toxco? I hate the idea of just trashing them?

The Happy Rocks last blog post..Community In Action - Debt Elimination Party

]]> By: Will http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-7351 Will Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:35:16 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-7351 Hi Andy! You make a good point and I feel the same way. Economics plays a huge role in recycling, though. Unfortunately the success of recycling individual products often depends on these economics. Toxco claims they are doing it within these economics, but they still charge for the Big Green Box. Imagine how much more successful the program would be if Toxco could provide the box for free and still make it profitable. -Will Hi Andy! You make a good point and I feel the same way. Economics plays a huge role in recycling, though. Unfortunately the success of recycling individual products often depends on these economics. Toxco claims they are doing it within these economics, but they still charge for the Big Green Box. Imagine how much more successful the program would be if Toxco could provide the box for free and still make it profitable.

-Will

]]> By: Andy http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-7340 Andy Sat, 08 Mar 2008 13:56:40 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-7340 go into walmart or BJ's or any store. rack upon rack upon rack of batteries. a pallet of them weighs tons. to say that we don't need to recycle alk's because they don't have metals known to be toxic, like mercury, or that the metals they do contain, like nickel, aren't in short supply, misses the point. it is simply more responsible to recycle them and reuse what there is to reuse. imagine all the energy that went into mining the ore, smelting and purifying, transporting, manufacturing, packaging etc etc. all so a battery could power a radio for a few weeks and then permanently end up in a landfill, taking up precious space? or be burned, and dispersed? i'm still researching the alternatives but the BGB program by Toxco does seem like a responsible solution. If they can make a profit off of it and return the various metals to the productive stream, or even store used batteries in a sensible way against future use as metal prices go up and down, then I say more power to them. go into walmart or BJ’s or any store. rack upon rack upon rack of batteries. a pallet of them weighs tons. to say that we don’t need to recycle alk’s because they don’t have metals known to be toxic, like mercury, or that the metals they do contain, like nickel, aren’t in short supply, misses the point. it is simply more responsible to recycle them and reuse what there is to reuse. imagine all the energy that went into mining the ore, smelting and purifying, transporting, manufacturing, packaging etc etc. all so a battery could power a radio for a few weeks and then permanently end up in a landfill, taking up precious space? or be burned, and dispersed? i’m still researching the alternatives but the BGB program by Toxco does seem like a responsible solution. If they can make a profit off of it and return the various metals to the productive stream, or even store used batteries in a sensible way against future use as metal prices go up and down, then I say more power to them.

]]> By: Will Taft . com » Blog Archive » Yes, We Do Need To Recycle Alkaline Batteries http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-4777 Will Taft . com » Blog Archive » Yes, We Do Need To Recycle Alkaline Batteries Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:35:33 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-4777 [...] This just in, now help spread the word… We can and should recycle alkaline batteries. I have written on this topic a couple of times before, but it almost seems like more questions were raised than [...] [...] This just in, now help spread the word… We can and should recycle alkaline batteries. I have written on this topic a couple of times before, but it almost seems like more questions were raised than [...]

]]> By: Will http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-4566 Will Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:37:45 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-4566 Hi Pete, I agree. The problem is so much conflicting information. I called Toxco, the company that runs the Big Green Box program this morning and had an in-depth conversation with one of their technical people. I will post soon with the specifics I learned from him, but for now, yes, use the BGB program if you can. Alkaline batteries collected through that program are indeed recycled! -Will Hi Pete, I agree. The problem is so much conflicting information. I called Toxco, the company that runs the Big Green Box program this morning and had an in-depth conversation with one of their technical people. I will post soon with the specifics I learned from him, but for now, yes, use the BGB program if you can. Alkaline batteries collected through that program are indeed recycled!

-Will

]]> By: Pete http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-4562 Pete Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:10:36 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-4562 Will, I appreciate your comcerns, but your facts are not entirely correct. It is true that there should not (i.e. chinese made toys should not contain lead) be any mercury in U.S. alkaline batteries, since 1996 Act of Congress ban. However, those "common" metals you refer to are heavy metals considered toxic contaminants to our drinking water, as well as wildlife. As a chemist, I often simplify the issue as "too much of a good thing." We can only process very tiny portions of these metals; even Vitamin C is toxic in very large doses. It should not be too difficult to deposit your batteries in a "Big Green Box" program sponsored by a number of retailers, including Whole Foods Market and Walgreens. See www.biggreenbox.com I hope this helps to resolve your questions. Will, I appreciate your comcerns, but your facts are not entirely correct. It is true that there should not (i.e. chinese made toys should not contain lead) be any mercury in U.S. alkaline batteries, since 1996 Act of Congress ban.
However, those “common” metals you refer to are heavy metals considered toxic contaminants to our drinking water, as well as wildlife. As a chemist, I often simplify the issue as “too much of a good thing.” We can only process very tiny portions of these metals; even Vitamin C is toxic in very large doses.
It should not be too difficult to deposit your batteries in a “Big Green Box” program sponsored by a number of retailers, including Whole Foods Market and Walgreens. See http://www.biggreenbox.com
I hope this helps to resolve your questions.

]]> By: Anna http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-2767 Anna Sat, 17 Nov 2007 16:38:48 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-2767 Hey Will about single use batteries our local recycling booklet instructs us to take all batteries, even the alkaline into hazardous waste depot. They mention that most of the single use batteries do not contain hazardous materials, but they may contain small traces that when accumulated can eventually pose danger. Here is the Canadian link: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/myenvironment/home/batteries.php Hey Will about single use batteries our local recycling booklet instructs us to take all batteries, even the alkaline into hazardous waste depot. They mention that most of the single use batteries do not contain hazardous materials, but they may contain small traces that when accumulated can eventually pose danger.

Here is the Canadian link:
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/myenvironment/home/batteries.php

]]> By: Will http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-2545 Will Sun, 11 Nov 2007 05:49:48 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-2545 Hi Les - And thanks for the review! I hope your <a href="http://myradicalblogs.com/?page_id=58">Site Review Catalog</a> takes off. It could be a great resource as it grows! -Will Hi Les - And thanks for the review! I hope your Site Review Catalog takes off. It could be a great resource as it grows!

-Will

]]> By: Les http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-2543 Les Sun, 11 Nov 2007 04:53:09 +0000 http://willtaft.com/environment/there-may-be-no-need-to-recycle-alkaline-batteries/#comment-2543 Your site has been reviewed by the radical blogger = you can see the results here: http://myradicalblogs.com/?page_id=87 It may take several hours for the front page article to appear. You review however has been published. Your site has been reviewed by the radical blogger = you can see the results here:

http://myradicalblogs.com/?page_id=87

It may take several hours for the front page article to appear. You review however has been published.

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