Tune into battery recycling

Main Details

Lancashire County Council aims to encourage recycling of used household batteries to reduce the number that enter the waste stream. The UK currently throws away over 600 million batteries every year.

Lancashire County Council has been running a battery recycling scheme for primary schools since 2004. This was extended to secondary schools in 2010, and the scheme is now therefore available to all Lancashire primary and secondary schools on request.

Schools taking part in the scheme have the chance to win prizes by collecting used household batteries. Primary and secondary schools interested in the scheme can contact Lancashire County Council’s waste helpline. Tel: 0845 0500 957 for further information.

There is no intention, at this stage, to change the current scheme. Batteries will be collected towards the end of each school term, and containers will be provided to collect batteries in. Schools have the opportunity to win a prize for collecting the highest weight of batteries per pupil at the school. Prizes awarded to primary schools in the past have included Laptops, digital cameras and camcorders as well as sports equipment.

How to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle household batteries:

• Use the mains power when possible
• Choose appliances that can use power derived from the sun via solar panels or from a winding mechanism, e.g. torches or radios with wind-up chargers
• Use rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. A non-rechargeable battery requires, on average, 50 times the energy to make it compared to the energy it gives out. Using rechargeable batteries is therefore much more energy efficient.
• All of Lancashire's Household Waste Recycling Centres has the facility to collect and recycle your household batteries.
• You can now recycle your household batteries at one of Lancashire's participating libraries
• You can get help and guidance on how to recycle or dispose of batteries from the distributor who originally supplied the battery, the battery manufacturer or the appliance manufacturer.
• Check out www.recycle-more.co.ukfor other recycling tips and to find your nearest recycling banks