"Safe" Disposal of old batteries

[Gadgetboy]

So this topic may have come up some time ago but my battery collection has grown to large and I'm afraid of causing a Chernobyl disaster in my cupboard if something started to go wrong.
What do you guys do with your old batteries? I have heard people taking them to Woolworths for recycling but also heard they just dispose of it at the local rubbish dump.
Someone also mentioned that you can place the batteries in salt water until the fizz stops and then just dispose of it as normal.
I would be keen to hear your thought.

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

So this topic may have come up some time ago but my battery collection has grown to large and I'm afraid of causing a Chernobyl disaster in my cupboard if something started to go wrong.
What do you guys do with your old batteries? I have heard people taking them to Woolworths for recycling but also heard they just dispose of it at the local rubbish dump.
Someone also mentioned that you can place the batteries in salt water until the fizz stops and then just dispose of it as normal.
I would be keen to hear your thought.

The Builders Warehouse in Edenvale has a few recyclables bins close to their entrance. The battery bin has a large sign on the bin asking, (warning?), people to insulate their cells, (they provide plastic bags), before tossing them in the bin.

As to placing batteries in a saline solution ... It would certainly discharge them ... Is it safe? ... probably not!

 

[Gadgetboy]

The Builders Warehouse in Edenvale has a few recyclables bins close to their entrance. The battery bin has a large sign on the bin asking, (warning?), people to insulate their cells, (they provide plastic bags), before tossing them in the bin.

As to placing batteries in a saline solution ... It would certainly discharge them ... Is it safe? ... probably not!

Thanks for the feedback, I will go to the nearest builders and see if they have a similar bin. When it comes to batteries I will be the first one to put up my hand and say I am scared of them.

 

[DarthBranMuffin]

I shall be slowly replacing batteries during the year most likely and saw our local Makro has a electronic recycling station.

Will still suggest that you first wrap up the batteries (individually) and placing them in ziploc bags before dumping it in one of these containers.

Makro Online Site | Makro South Africa | Never Miss a Deal. Get the Best Deals

 

[Gadgetboy]

I shall be slowly replacing batteries during the year most likely and saw our local Makro has a electronic recycling station.

Will still suggest that you first wrap up the batteries (individually) and placing them in ziploc bags before dumping it in one of these containers.

Makro Online Site | Makro South Africa | Never Miss a Deal. Get the Best Deals

Thanks for that, I am a bit worried about that though. I have seen at the local Woolworths batteries are just thrown in the bin with no insulation whatsoever. I will be wrapping them up in double layers just for safety sake. I will make them safe but you never know what Mr tom or Mr **** will do....

 

[Quintusson]

I usually use the perforated glad wrap and use one sheet per battery. Cheap, seals well and doesn't cost as much as individual ziploc bags (miser in me talking here)

 

[Spunk3yMunk3y]

I'm not sure as to how or what they do with the batteries but I have seen Twisp kiosks have a bin for old batteries and mods

 

[Gadgetboy]

I usually use the perforated glad wrap and use one sheet per battery. Cheap, seals well and doesn't cost as much as individual ziploc bags (miser in me talking here)

Will be doing the exact same thing.

 

[Viper_SA]

Build a potato gun that fires 18650's

 

[DarthBranMuffin]

Build a potato gun that fires 18650's

Powered by 21700's?

 

[Adephi]

I heard car battery shops also take them in.

 

[Viper_SA]

Powered by 21700's?

Nope, powered by AXE

 

[Gadgetboy]

Nope, powered by AXE

You see now, I need to show my son how to make one. (Not a 18650 but potato) Blast from the past in the making.

 

[Gadgetboy]

I heard car battery shops also take them in.

Didn't think of that, thanks. I have a Battery Center just down the road. Ill pop past later today and find out.

 

[Christos]

Didn't think of that, thanks. I have a Battery Center just down the road. Ill pop past later today and find out.

So the battery centres just send the batteries back to their supplier who then deals with them appropriately (we hope). I have a bag of batteries, about 3 years old that I need to dispose of properly.
I haven’t done so because I haven’t received a decent response on how the batteries are recycled etc.

 

[Gadgetboy]

So I have been doing a lot of research into the recycling of old batteries and companies that do it, it seems this one Desco is legit. They are the ones that have the bins at all the Makro outlets for recycling. https://www.desco.co.za/makro-bin-locator/

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

Just a thought here ... If anyone has a few cells with some life left in them ... ... I'd like a few of them to use as a demonstration of what happens when cells are abused ... I'll make up a jig that we can pierce / short them out from a safe distance

https://www.ecigssa.co.za/threads/not-a-vape-meet-workshop.75446/

 

[Adephi]

Just a thought here ... If anyone has a few cells with some life left in them ... ... I'd like a few of them to use as a demonstration of what happens when cells are abused ... I'll make up a jig that we can pierce / short them out from a safe distance

https://www.ecigssa.co.za/threads/not-a-vape-meet-workshop.75446/

Will this be before or after a couple of beers?

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

Will this be before or after a couple of beers?

WAY BEFORE!

 

[Adephi]

WAY BEFORE!

That's no fun.

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

That's no fun.

I think we all love a fireworks display, however lithium cells are potential bombs if mishandled, and I'd like to demonstrate it safely, and hopefully get the point across to take good care of them

 

[Gadgetboy]

I think we all love a fireworks display, however lithium cells are potential bombs if mishandled, and I'd like to demonstrate it safely, and hopefully get the point across to take good care of them

Im Game, As long as it is recorded (For Science reasons) I have +- 8 x 18650 and 2 x 26650 to donate as well as a "Hazed Pod" or 2.
Sending PM now

 

[Old_Goat]

I have been on a similar journey to find a safe way to keep disposables out of landfills. I reached out to www.astitam.co.za and their response really shocked me.

They expect me to pay them R13 per vape I take to them. Now I have taken in a lot of Lead Acid and Gel batteries for recycling and I am usually the one who gets paid. To be clear, I'm not looking to make money here, I'm just trying to keep as many dead vapes out of the landfills as I can. But most importantly, I am not looking to get ripped off and find myself out of pocket. There has to be a better way to do this.

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

I have been on a similar journey to find a safe way to keep disposables out of landfills. I reached out to www.astitam.co.za and their response really shocked me.

They expect me to pay them R13 per vape I take to them. Now I have taken in a lot of Lead Acid and Gel batteries for recycling and I am usually the one who gets paid. To be clear, I'm not looking to make money here, I'm just trying to keep as many dead vapes out of the landfills as I can. But most importantly, I am not looking to get ripped off and find myself out of pocket. There has to be a better way to do this.

Please PM me ... most Universities would take disposables off your hands ... I certainly will.
We remove the Lithium cells, which are then recycled for student projects, and the balance tossed into the Pyrolysis plant where we convert the plastics to diesel and gas to supplement generator fuel, and the small amount of metal recovered is passed off to Metallurgy, (I haven't had a look at their recovery process as yet).

 

[ace_d_house_cat]

Lots of Pick n Pay's have better disposal bins too. I have dropped of a few 18650, AA and AAAs at my old local one.