Over the last decade the amount of lithium batteries being used by the average household has increased significantly. You’d be amazed at how many devices rely on these batteries. Phones, laptops, power tools, electric motorcycles and all sorts of small electronics. All of which will eventually reach the end of the road. Dumping them in the ordinary garbage simply isn’t the best option when that day comes. Not only do they contain nasties that don’t belong in soil or water, but old lithium batteries can also be a serious fire hazard in trucks, transfer stations, and landfills.
One of the services we get asked about most is Lithium Battery Recycling in Davenport. We work with people all over the region to do this safely. Now, I know it’s not exactly a simple as just chucking a can in the bin, but if you get the basics right, it’s really not that hard.
We accept Lithium-ion batteries from consumer kit and bigger packs from power tools, e-bikes and electric mobility gear at Eco Way Recycle. The first thing to do when getting rid of a battery is to make sure it’s intact at home. If it’s damaged, bloated or leaking, you’ll need to handle it with care. Giving us a heads up will help us get everything ready. Damaged lithium cells need special packaging when they’re moved around because they can be a bit unstable.
It’s a straightforward process for an undamaged battery, though. Just cover the terminals with some clear tape to stop them touching any metal. Then pop the battery in a small plastic bag and into a solid box or container. You can then bring it to our yard and tell our staff what you have so we can point you in the right direction. We handle these batteries differently to steel and aluminium, which is because they need special care downstream.
The thing is, there is actual value in the components of a lithium battery. We can recover cobalt, nickel, lithium and copper and use them to make new batteries or other products. That’s why recycling these batteries is not only good for the environment. It also makes practical sense. As demand for new batteries goes up, the recovered material is going to become even more important in the supply chain.
Batteries get brought in with other old stuff by residents of Davenport quite a lot. We’ll take power tool packs, computers, tablets and old phones along with them in the same visit. Just let us know about any bigger items like e-bike batteries so we can get the right team ready. These bigger packs take a little bit longer, but they’re not hard to handle.
Compared to individuals, businesses tend to throw an awful lot more battery waste around. Contractors, IT departments, repair shops, and property managers all encounter this. For these accounts, we can arrange for regular pickups or set up collection containers. These are lined and labelled to keep everything safe until we come to collect them.
Cost is something we get asked about a lot. We don’t usually charge a drop off fee for the usual consumer lithium batteries, but there may be a small processing fee for bigger quantities or damaged goods. We always mention any costs upfront so you don’t get any surprises. Too often, people think recycling is going to be expensive so they just chuck the battery in the bin. We’d rather be upfront about the price.
We’re inviting you to bring in any old phone batteries, dead power tool packs or busted laptops you’ve been hanging onto. Recycling Lithium Batteries is best done as a regular part of your spring cleaning. It’s a lot better than leaving it all to build up.
Eco Way Recycle is happy to be part of this project and invites you to ask any questions you might have before, during or after your visit. If you stop by our yard, call us or drive on over to our Davenport drop off location, we’ll take care of everything for you.