Responsible way to recycle/dispose of AGMs

[TimC]

Is there a correct way to recycle/dispose of AGM batteries? I have eight 18 aHr batteries that I will eventually be retiring (probably this end of season). What happens to these when you order them online and there is no core exchange?

Full disclosure, I'm in a very small town in a somewhat remote region, but, I do get to the city now and then

[saltydawg]

Look up a recycling place that pays you, normally they do steel copper etc. They might give you a few bucks each.

[pchast]

Our local county garbage transfer station handles recycling
lead acid batteries.

[John61CT]

Yes every place I've lived has had HazMat drop-off days for residents at the local waste management / recycling facility

at least once a year.

Also when you buy a new one, usually they wjll take the old, save you the Core charge

[lfhoward]

You can bring old batteries into your local auto parts store and they should give you about $25 in store credit or cash for each one as a core. This should be true even if you don't buy new batteries there. It's like the return on aluminum soda cans, but better.

Edit: Sorry, I see you are talking about little AGM’s, not the RV size ones. I would recycle those at Lowes or Home Depot.

[flboy]

My localandfill/dump has a place to turn them over along with other household hazardous waste like used motor oil, paints, etc..

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[TimC]

... Edit: Sorry, I see you are talking about little AGM’s, not the RV size ones. I would recycle those at Lowes or Home Depot.

Yes, used on wheelchairs and such. As I mentioned in a different post when I was designing the location for the batteries I had a really good justification for going with them. I just can't remember why that was. Must have been a good one!

I'll be in Green Bay tomorrow so I might stop in at Batteries Plus and see what they say about them.

Thanks everyone!

[tony.latham]

I live in a smaller and more remote town than you. (Six bits or a cold camp beer says I’m right.).

I can pay a few bucks to leave them at the local dump. They transfer them to a battery recycling outfit.

Tony

[TimC]

I know I wouldn't beat you on that wager Tony so I'll just say I owe ya an Upper Hand, Black Rocks Ore Dock or Keweenaw brew if we meet up some day.

I didn't get to Batteries Plus on Tuesday but may get down there next month to check it out.

[tony.latham]

I owe ya...

You don't, but I'd drink one with you. Fur sure.

Tony

[Squigie]

My local dump charges $8 per battery.
But my local auto parts stores give $10 to $25 in store credit ("gift card") per battery.

Why pay, when I can get paid?

The $25 place only allows one battery per week, and I rarely patronize that business. (Due to location and selection, mostly.)
The $10 place is more convenient and allows one battery per day. (Official company policy. But they've done three in a day for me, twice before.)

Most of my junk batteries end up as oil and air filters, with an intermediate form of $10 gift cards.


I can even feel good about it for environmental reasons.

The auto parts stores ship the batteries to a recycler once they have a 3-layer-deep pallet. Having been in that network in the past, I know that it only takes the average auto parts store about 2-3 weeks to "fill" a pallet; and they typically spend a little over a week in transit before being ground into chunks at the final facility. Quick and efficient, and leaks and spills are handled very seriously.

The dump, however, stacks the batteries until they have 12 pallets, before hiring a truck to haul them to the recycler. My lady at the dump says this usually takes 9-12 months. While waiting, they corrode, leak all over, and leach into the soil - in an area where runoff goes directly into a stream about 1/2 mile from a river. ...Because, being designated as a "recyclable goods 'transfer' lot", it doesn't need the same environmental protections as the rest of the dump.