Battery recycling facts for kids
Many batteries are thrown away in regular waste after they have been used. Battery recycling is a name of the process of separately collecting such batteries so that they can be disposed of properly. Batteries contain metals such as lead, copper or zinc. In the form that is used in the batteries, these metals are very harmful to the environment - most are toxic. Collecting the batteries allows to extract some of the metals, which can then be re-used - they are not thrown away. The part that cannot be extracted or re-used is dispoed in a for so that it is less harmful to the environment. For this reason, many countries have rules that say that a given percentage of all batteries must be re-cycled.
Battery composition by type
Italics designates button cell types.
Bold designates secondary types.
All figures are percentages; due to rounding they may not add up to exactly 100.
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Battery recycling Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.