Fire hazard – You should avoid these mistakes when disposing of batteries

Fire hazard: You should avoid these mistakes when disposing of batteries

Everyone has devices at home that require batteries. Everyone knows that these do not belong in the residual waste. But they shouldn’t lie around at home forever either, because that can be quite dangerous under certain circumstances.

Batteries are hazardous waste because the raw materials they contain can be valuable but also harmful to the environment and health. That’s why most shops have standardized collection bins where you have to dispose of the batteries free of charge – they don’t belong in the household waste under any circumstances.

But no one has to go to the next store because of two old batteries. These are often collected somewhere until “it’s worth it.” However, there are some mistakes that can be dangerous.

This makes storing the batteries dangerous

It is important that you do not keep the old batteries at home forever before sending them for recycling. Otherwise, the substances may leak, these alkalis or acids have a caustic effect and are harmful to health.

There is also a small risk of fire when storing batteries and accumulators containing lithium. It is best to tape off the poles here to prevent metal contact. The biggest problem is when the batteries are stored incorrectly. The most common mistakes are:

Humidity:
If batteries are exposed to high humidity for a long time, the casing can decompose and the toxic substances leak out. So the basement is not suitable.
Heat:
Batteries can also be permanently damaged if the temperatures are too high and if they are exposed to direct sunlight, so that the liquid leaks out. 15 degrees is ideal.
metal contact:
Never throw batteries into a container with other metal objects (keys, coins, tools). The container itself should also be made of a different material. Otherwise, a short circuit could occur, causing the batteries to discharge and heat up.
Batteries mixed:
In addition to AA and AAA, there are also 9-volt blocks and button cells. The latter are made entirely of metal and are therefore more prone to short circuits. It is better to store the different types of batteries separately, for example in a special battery box.

Therefore, regularly take away the old batteries instead of collecting them in a large container. Devices that have already expired must still be placed in the designated collection containers.