(BPT) – National Battery Day, Feb. 18, is a day when people across the nation are encouraged to participate in battery recycling to celebrate the vital role batteries play in our everyday lives. Without them, the modern world couldn’t exist as we know it. From household appliances to laptops, cellphones, tablets, and other portable electronics, batteries power the devices we rely on every day and can and should be recycled at the end of their useful life.
Want to join the celebration? Here are four easy ways to lead the charge on National Battery Day.
1. Up your battery IQ.
How much do you know about the science behind batteries or why battery recycling is important?
Some batteries may contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and nickel. When batteries are tossed in the trash they end up in landfills where toxic materials can potentially pollute the air and groundwater. When batteries are recycled, these toxins are kept out of the environment, and valuable metals can be recovered and made into new products like utensils, car parts, golf clubs, new batteries and more. This reduces the number of new materials that must be mined, and gives your old batteries a second life through recycling.
2. Remember safety first.
National Battery Day serves as the perfect reminder to regularly check your smoke alarm and fire alarm batteries. Having working alarms in your home is critical to provide an early warning for any potential fire hazards. Adopting routine fire safety habits throughout the year is the best way to help keep you, your loved ones and your home safe.
3. Keep your battery going.
Another easy way to participate is by learning how to extend your device’s battery life.
One of the most important ways you can conserve your battery is to avoid overcharging. Keeping battery-operated devices plugged in after they have reached full charge may reduce battery life over time. Exposing batteries or devices to extreme temperatures can also shorten expected battery life. When batteries become hot they drain faster, so whenever possible store them in a cool place.
Other great tips to extend battery life for devices like your smartphone and tablet include closing out apps when you’re finished using them, turning off your notifications or try switching to airplane mode to save your battery whenever you find yourself in an area with little or no reception.
4. Don’t hoard – recycle!
Are you a battery hoarder? Got a drawer in the house filled with dead batteries? You aren’t alone. In fact, at least 20 percent of people hold on to their used batteries because they know they shouldn’t be tossed out but don’t know where to dispose of them, according to Call2Recycle, Inc.
Organizations like Call2Recycle make it easy for you to be a responsible battery user by partnering with retailers and municipalities that serve as drop-off locations for battery collection. This network includes retail stores in your own community that you may visit regularly, including Best Buy, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sears, Staples and more. Establish a monthly routine when you sort through the junk drawer and gather up old batteries to drop off while running other errands.
Find out where you can drop off your batteries to begin their second life by visiting www.call2recycle.org/locator.
Celebrate and share how you will make a positive environmental impact on Feb. 18 for National Battery Day by using #ChargeUp2017 on your social media channels.
