Elon Sustainability Efforts...and Batteries

According to Elon University's website, efforts to increase Elon Sustainability throughout campus began in the 1980's by student initiative. Since then, recycling of Elon's waste stream has increased to 31%. Among the many items that Elon makes an effort to recycle are batteries.

Bins to recycle household batteries are located in:


Moseley Center – outside the Phoenix Card Office.
McEwen Communications Building- Room 105
Danieley Center – Daniel Common
Belk Library – Main Stairwell

Why Recycle Batteries?


According to Environment, Health, and Safety Online, over three billion dry celled batteries were purchased by Americans; on average, eight household batteries, two button batteries, and ten normal batteries are thrown out by each person yearly. The website supplied a graph giving more information about batteries and their proper disposal.
According to the website, when batteries are not safely disposed of, they may contribute to many environmental problems. These problems include exposing the environment and water to acid and lead as well as contributing to heavy metals that could leak from landfills. Additionally, when burned, the metals that vaporize into the air could pollute lakes and streams. The strong corrosive acids contained in batteries are dangerous as well, and may cause danger to eyes and skin.


According to Battery Solutions, a company that supplies recycling methods, these are the materials that can be gained from different kinds of recycled batteries:

Lead Acid Battery- plastic, lead, sulfuric acid
Alkaline/Zinc Carbon/Zinc Air Batteries- zinc, metal used to produce steel
Nickel Metal Hydride, Nickel-Cadmium,and Lithium Ion Batteries - nickel, manganese, cobalt, chromium, and iron; cadmium, lithium, and zinc are collected as metal-oxide
Lithium Batteries- scrap metal, carbon, lithium carbonate

Kacey Stark