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US Federal Laws on Battery Recycling

Batteries are an important source of energy in many parts of the world. However, they contain chemical components which contaminate underground sources of water and are harmful to the environment and human health. Because of these potential hazards, the United States has enacted federal rules and regulations to ensure careful production, handling, usage, disposal and recycling of batteries.

  1. Mercury Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act

    • This law was enacted in 1996 to provide for efficient collection and recycling of a variety of batteries. These include those whose production contain mercury, cadmium and lead-acid elements. This law also caters to the utilization, sale and disposal of specific varieties of batteries. It states that technologies that have been designed to make use of batteries should provide for easier removal of these batteries so that they can be recycled. In addition, manufacturers are required to clearly label all batteries. They should print the chemical constituents of the batteries and give guidelines on how they can be recycled or disposed.

    Federal Universal Waste Regulations

    • This law was enacted to ensure the United States complies with the standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on hazardous waste management. The universal waste regulations require that all batteries containing nickel, cadmium and lead should be handled and categorized as hazardous waste. Those with these ingredients but which are used at the household level and for operations of small businesses, however, are exempted from this rule. These regulations aim at ensuring that these hazardous wastes are properly recycled.

    Transporting Batteries for Recycling

    • Batteries contain harmful chemicals which can pose safety risks while in transit. The U.S. Department of Transportation has put in place regulations governing the transportation of hazardous material. These regulations include the transport of large quantities of lithium-ion batteries. These rules require that lithium-ion batteries be shipped in original equipment or have their terminal connections covered with tape to avoid short circuiting. Packages containing lithium-ion batteries are also required to be properly labeled.

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