Batteries are the source of life for most lawnmowers, especially cordless electric ones. Once the battery dies or gets damaged, the lawnmower cannot come to life unless the battery is replaced. It is the most important part of the lawnmower.
Lawnmower batteries contain multiple cells and they are made up of sulfuric acid which is covered with lead plates. These batteries are responsible for how well a lawn mower works and performs, how powerful it is and how well it can cause its blades to provide cuts per minute. This is denoted by “RPM” (Rounds Per Minute).
Like humans get old and retired after years of service, the lawnmower battery will too, just faster than humans. And then it will require a replacement. Before the thoughts of replacement, you need to remove and dispose of the battery. After all, that’s the only way you get to create space for the new battery. But how? That is what you will find out, as you continue to read this.
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How to Dispose of Lawn Mower Batteries?
When the batteries of a lawnmower eventually get spoilt and unusable, you might start wondering if it is okay to just throw them into a bin or if there is a special way of disposing of them. Well, it is not okay to just dump them into any bin. There are a couple of steps required when disposing of a used battery.
These are not just steps guiding how you dispose of a battery but also instructions that should be adhered to. But before you check out those steps, there is one thing you need to do. The battery might not be spoilt, so check to see what the problem is, what is draining it, and if it can be repaired. If it cannot, then it’s time to dispose of it.
1. Protect yourself
Protecting oneself when using power tools cannot be over-emphasized and when dealing with batteries, it is even more compulsory. Protective gloves, safety goggles, and the right kind of overalls might seem like an ordinary thing to do but you will find it goes a long way to protect your health. Sometimes, nose masks might be needed too.
2. Remove the battery
When you find that the battery is no longer useable, remove it from the lawnmower. Before touching it, check to see if there is any form of liquid like sulfuric acid leaking from it. If you cannot remove it on your own, you can call a junk removal service to help you but with your gloves on, there might not be a need for that. Just take the battery out of the mower and head to a local recycling center.
3. Dispose of the battery
This is the part that shows how much you care about your environment. A spoilt or just unusable battery cannot simply be thrown into a dustbin. It contains chemicals that when emitted can be hazardous to the environment. And if disposal companies find them in a dustbin like that, they will not collect them. Even if they do, they will charge an extra fee. So, save yourself the stress and harm by just disposing of the battery properly.
Now, in case you are wondering what the right places to dispose or recycle the battery are, this might help.
- The local authority
The authority in your area might not be the ones to come take the battery and dispose of them but they will tell you the people responsible for the disposal and what you need to know about them. They will also help you to locate battery dumps and recycling centers around you. Doing this will help you save time and money. You might even make extra cash in the process. This is because some companies buy the battery to recycle and reuse. They might even go as far as providing that information.
So, when thinking about disposing of your battery, the first place to start is your local authority. Call them!
- Take it back to the manufacturer or supplier
Returning the battery to the manufacturer or supplier is another way to dispose of the battery. If you are lucky enough to remember the place you bought the battery from, you can contact them. According to the law, lawnmower manufacturers are to accept used batteries.
In fact, it has been since 2010, when shops that sold up to 32kg in a year were made to provide an in-store collection of used batteries.
This is so that customers do not go through too much stress when disposing of the batteries on their own. Manufacturers are also believed to have more reasons for recycling batteries as well as better recycling and disposal ideas.
Contact the supplier or manufacturers to find out if they have stores such as this for customers before making further decisions.
- Auto repair shops
Ideally, auto repair shops collect used car batteries but you might be lucky to find one that also collects lawn mower batteries. Although car batteries and lawnmower batteries are dissimilar, the process of disposal is almost the same.
And if the shop does not accept lawn mower batteries, you can always ask questions as to how to dispose of the battery and if it is your lucky day, they might dispose of the battery for you for a small fee. There is no harm in trying, you know. Anyways there might be rules regarding the type of batteries they can dispose of or how they can dispose of the battery, whichever one it is, try to follow the rules.
- Hardware shops
Some hardware stores provide an avenue to help users recycle their batteries. They have bins in shops at strategic parts of the community for local customers. They create programs for people to dispose of their batteries without worrying so much about where to dispose of them while saving the environment from the hazards abandoned batteries could cause. The program is called “Call2Recycle”.
All you need to do is to locate one of the stores that have the bins created for them and drop your battery. Once you find the shop you can drop off the battery anytime at your convenience.
The best part about these bins is that they are designed to contain batteries of different types, watts, and sizes; from the small phone, batteries to even lithium batteries. You can always ask around or call your local authority to help find them.
- Sell them
You know you can always make some money while still disposing of your battery the right way, right? Let me tell you how. Do not be deceived by the fact that the battery is no longer useful to you. It might not be useful to you but it is to a lot of people. If you live in those areas where manufacturers or recycling centers are always looking to get used batteries to reuse but it seems scarce, this is your chance.
You can always reach out to them. You are who they are looking for and definitely, they will pay. And even if recycling centers are not always looking for used batteries since it is not scarce, you can always ask the workers. Some of these centers do not mind paying. And besides, what is the worst that could happen? You will just get a No for an answer and be in your way.
You can also put them up for sales in a pawn shop or an online sales platform. Either way, you are going to make some money. Just make sure you have a receipt to show the legitimacy of the sale.
Also Read: Can I charge my lawnmower battery with my car?
Where Can I Throw My Battery?
Recycling Bins: Batteries are not to be thrown into ordinary waste bins or just anywhere. Batteries thrown into ordinary waste bins end up getting dumped in landfills. When dropped in places like that, chemicals emitted from the battery get into the air, pollute it and cause harm to human health.
It could also cause water pollution. But when tossed into recycling bins made for batteries, they get picked up by recycling companies or even the manufacturers and put to good use. They can even come out stronger in newer models. But if they cannot be used, they will be tossed into sites for hazardous waste objects.
Hazardous waste sites: these are sites dedicated to the disposal of all kinds of harmful wastes. Unlike landfills, these sites are prepared to contain and keep harmful chemicals from mixing with air or water, thereby reducing the chances of causing air or water pollution. They are most times situated far from habituated places to keep people safe. It is the place where non-recyclable materials are finally dumped and laid to rest.
Also Read: Bad Boy Mower Won’t Start No Click
Can I Put Batteries In Recycling Bin?
Recycling bins, not regular recycling bins are a better option for putting in old batteries. Special types of recycling bins are provided by some hardware stores for the disposal of batteries. Some of the recycling bins come in form of drop boxes.
You just need to locate the one close to your area, drop the battery and leave the rest. Recycling bins provide a better option because it is easier to locate the batteries with them than with normal waste bins. They both however are not safe for the disposal of batteries because of the chemicals emitted by batteries.
So while it is okay to put batteries in a recycling bin, not all recycling bins are safe enough.
Does Lowes Accept Batteries For Recycling?
Lowes stores provide recycling programs for a lot of materials including batteries. They accept all types of rechargeable batteries and recycle them. The boxes used to accept the batteries are mostly found at the entrance of their recycling centers so you don’t even have to talk to anyone. They also accept plastic objects, bulbs, and a couple of other things for recycling.
How Do I Dispose Of A Bloated Battery?
Whether a battery is bloated or not, it should be disposed of properly. Bloated batteries are also known as swollen batteries, however, are to be handled with extra care than non-bloated ones. Batteries become swollen as a result of a build-up of gas under the casing of the battery which puts it under stress and hence very vulnerable.
Some amount of pressure can cause it to burst. Remove the battery carefully to prevent it from exploding and take it to a recycling center, they will know what best to do with it.
Things You Need to Avoid
- When disposing of your battery, you should wear gloves. It will protect your fingers from coming in contact with acids that might be oozing from it. Picking it with the tips of two of your fingers is just not good enough, get protective gloves.
- Bloated batteries are likely to explode if not handled properly. Do not be deceived by the casing which looks swollen but hard. Avoid every possibility of puncturing the battery.
- Recycling is very important to the environment. It is an eco-friendly activity and beneficial to all. Avoid every chance of your battery landing in a landfill. It does not produce an eco-friendly result at all. Take advantage of the Call2Recycle program available around you.
- Do not burn batteries.
- If you cannot dispose of the battery immediately, keep the battery acid from leaking by covering the battery ends with tapes.
- Avoid being a bad citizen by ensuring that you know and follow the rules of battery disposal declared by your local authority. Do this by contacting them and making your research.
- Batteries can cause fire outbreaks. The fact that they are spoilt is not an excuse, so keep them stored safely and out of children’s reach till it is disposed of out of the house.
Conclusion:
It is better to find a proper way to dispose of your battery than just dumping it anywhere. Honestly, it might cost a bit but it is better than being charged for illegal dumping or mishandling of hazardous waste materials. Before replacing the old battery with a new one, do not forget to clean the battery slot properly. Carefully wipe off any liquid or dirt in the space.
Now that you know that there are better ways to dispose of a battery, I hope you make good use of this knowledge. Keep yourself and people safe.
