Sustainable Communities SA Inc.
Battery Recycling
Most batteries contain heavy metals which is the main cause for environmental concern.
Disposed of incorrectly, the heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery
erodes. This contributes to soil and water pollution and endangers wildlife. Some
components in batteries can be toxic to fish and make them unfit for human
consumption. Even the tiniest batteries contain hazardous waste; button-cell batteries
such as those used in hearing aids and watches, contain silver and mercury, which can
also be recycled.
Each year Australian’s discard about 8 000 tonnes of used batteries. Batteries are the
most common form of hazardous waste disposed of by Australian Households, with 97%
of those disposing of them via their usual rubbish collection.
Australia only has one battery recycling facility (Auszinc) in Wollongong, New South
Wales. This facility will recycle all metals and components of alkaline batteries. All other
batteries are exported to recycling facilities in Asia or Europe.
Battery World offers consumers a free battery recycling service. See their website for
details of battery components and recycling methods as well as the location of your
nearest store. Businesses are welcome to contact a Battery World store to make
commercial arrangements to dispose of their batteries or they can contact battery
recyclers MRI direct, or SITA Environmental Solutions (Tel. 131 335). A small fee is
charged to cover collection and recycling costs.
Mobile phone batteries should be taken back to mobile phone retail outlets or see
www.mobilemuster.com.au for your nearest drop off point.
Battery reprocessing
There are two kinds of dry-cell battery commonly used in households – each kind
requiring different recycling methods:
 Primary batteries are the cheaper and usually more popular choice – they cannot be
recharged, are usually alkaline and contain zinc.
 Secondary batteries are commonly known as rechargeable – they are more expensive
but they last much longer. Examples are batteries used to power digital cameras,
mobile phones, children’s toys, computers, shavers and video cameras. These
batteries usually contain lead, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ions
Batteries contain a range of metals
There are well-established methods
nickel-cadmium, nickel hydride and
and lithium systems, recycling is still
which can be reused as a secondary raw material.
for the recycling of most batteries containing lead,
mercury. For some, such as newer nickel-hydride
in the early stages.
The batteries collected for recycling are first sorted. The components and metals are then
separated, melted and recycled into new products such as street lights, new batteries,
car parts and steel frames for houses.
Processing methods:
 Lead-acid batteries used in vehicles are re-processed in SA and can be returned to
recycling centres. eg. Scouts Recycling, 16 Payneham Road, Stepney.
 Lead can be recovered by either separating the different materials that make up the
battery (lead, plastics, acid, etc.) prior to metallurgical processing. Alternatively,
batteries can be processed as a whole through heat treatment in a particular type of
furnace with metals being recovered at the end of his process.
 NiCd batteries can be reprocessed through a similar thermal technique, which
recovers cadmium and iron-nickel for steel production.
Nov 2010
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Sustainable Communities SA Inc.
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Batteries containing mercury (button cells) are most commonly processed using a
vacuum-thermal treatment, in which the mercury vaporises. It condenses and
eventually solidifies when temperatures are reduced and can then be reintroduced
into the material cycle.
NiMH batteries are reprocessed by mechanically separating the individual materials
(plastic, hydrogen and nickel) within a vacuum chamber to prevent the escape of
hydrogen. The output of this process is a product with high nickel content which can
be used in the manufacture of stainless steel.
Li-Ion batteries are currently reprocessed through pyrolysis (heat treatment) with
the primary recovery the metal content.
Zinc-carbon/air and alkaline-manganese batteries can be reprocessed using a
number of different methods, which include smelting and other thermal-metallurgical
processes to recover the metal content (particularly zinc).
What you can do
1. Use the mains when possible.
2. Use rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. This saves energy because the
energy needed to manufacture a battery is on average 50 times greater than the
energy it gives out. However, rechargeable batteries are not suitable for smoke
alarms as they tend to run out suddenly, preventing the alarm from warning when
battery power is low.
3. Opt for appliances that can use power derived from the sun via solar panels or
from a winding mechanism, e.g. radios, mobile phone wind-up chargers.
4. Return disposable batteries to the retailer where they were purchased, or to your
nearest Battery World.
5. When appropriate, buy hand operated items that function without batteries.
6. Look for batteries that have less mercury and other heavy metals.
7. South Australian Council’s at present states batteries may be placed in the redtop bin but may consider collection for recycling at some future date.
See www.npsp.sa.gov.au and www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au for more information.
Nov 2010
www.sustainablecommunitiessa.wordpress.com