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Batteries

Boost your battery sense!

Many of our favorite gadgets rely on battery power, and many of the batteries we use are rechargeable (like those in our cell phones, laptops and ipods). Rechargeable batteries are ideal because they can be used over and over, saving money and the environment. Take it a step further by considering replacing your household alkaline batteries with rechargeable batteries.

Batteries are made of valuable metals that are becoming more scarce and more expensive to mine. When batteries are recycled, the metals are recovered and the other components are reprocessed and used again.

Batteries also contain hazardous waste, and although household alkaline batteries have low amounts of mercury and are less of an issue, it is very important to know what to do with your batteries at the end of their life.

In Virginia, you are not required to recycle standard household alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D and 9 volt). But if you do put alkaline batteries in the trash, you should tape the ends of each battery with masking tape and place multiple batteries in a plastic bag before putting into the trash. Rechargeable batteries, however, must be recycled at the end of their life cycle.
Household hazardous waste events are the place to recycle all types of batteries including household alkaline, rechargeable, car and all other types. VPPSA holds numerous household hazardous waste events throughout the year for Peninsula residents, SPSA has five hazardous waste collection facilities, and Virginia Beach residents can go to a Household Battery Recycling Drop-Off site or the Virginia Beach Landfill at 1989 Jake Sears Road, which also handles household hazardous waste. You can also visit the Call2Recycle website and enter your zip code to locate a rechargeable battery drop off location near you.
If you’re using more than a dozen or so disposable batteries per year, you can save a lot of money by switching to rechargeable batteries!