The right way to recycle batteries

By Carolyn Rose

The Big Green Box is an international program that sends recycling boxes to companies and organizations in order for them to safely dispose of batteries and electronics.

Once a company has received a Big Green Box, all shipping costs and disposal fees are included. Some things that can be disposed of in the box are alkaline and lithium batteries, cell phones, laptops, cameras and PDAs. Once the Big Green Box is filled, it can be dropped off at any UPS location and is then shipped back to the program’s location.

You can visit the website to find out more information and to purchase a Big Green Box for your company or home.

So why can’t batteries just be thrown away? The answer is that they contain mercury and other things that are toxic and hazardous to the environment. While newer batteries only contain trace amounts of mercury, many people are still worried about their effect on the environment.

Batteries can pollute lakes and oceans and deposit lead into them. They also have corrosive acids that are bad for landfills. Therefore, batteries cannot just be thrown away in the trash, they need to be disposed of properly.

Luckily there are many options now, though, including the Big Green Box and other similar programs. There are many organizations in addition to “The Big Green Box” who will dispose of batteries for you, but at a small price.

If you don’t think you have enough batteries to have a Big Green Box in your home, you can always bring your batteries to local retailers. Batteries can be dropped off at Best Buy, The Home Depot, Target, Staples, Sears, Verizon Wireless and Patagonia, among others.

And if you see your neighbor throwing away a laptop or cell phone, be a pal and let them know that the items need to be disposed of properly. It’s your world, too.