Plus and Minus: Disposable vs. Rechargeable Batteries

Alessandro Volta and his Voltaic Pile, the first battery. He put alternating discs of zinc and sliver or copper on top of one another. In between the discs, he slid pieces of cloth or cardboard soaked in salt water. Credit: American Physical Society

Disposable batteries, while less toxic than they used to be, still end up in landfills more often than not. Rechargeable batteries are a boon for the environment if they are actually being recycled and not dumped into landfills or incinerated. Image Credit: Dreamstime

The dawn of the internet and the Information Age generated tremendous new demand for power, as companies built their own networks and shifted to computer-based operations. Additionally, as technology shrinks to more portable proportions, more and more of that power will come from batteries.

New batteries certainly look shiny and clean and easy to dispose; however, as anyone who has left a battery sitting around for too long can attest, most batteries contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that are harmful to people and the environment.

Given the fact that Americans alone purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries per year (for laptops, toys, phones and tools) and another 100 million wet-cell batteries (for cars, motorcycles and boats), even trace amounts of heavy metals quickly add up to a serious environmental problem.

As American dependency on battery power increases with each new gadget that hits the market, the question of how to power these devices has risen to the fore. Dry-cell batteries today come in either rechargeable or disposable varieties, so it is worth examining the benefits of each before deciding which to buy. We’ll see how they stack up in the following three areas:

Toxic materials

• Used: All batteries need some sort of heavy metal to function properly, and until the mid-1990s, most disposable alkaline batteries (think AA or AAA) contained up to 7 percent mercury. Since a 1996 law regulating mercury levels was passed, most companies have eliminated (or nearly so) its presence. Duracell, for example, uses steel, zinc and manganese.
• On the other hand: In a classic catch-22 dilemma, the lack of expensive heavy metals means there is less incentive for companies to recycle them. Unlike single use, rechargeable batteries continue to make use of potentially toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, nickel and lead. While these metals still possess the same hazards, the long life of these batteries and abundance of recycling centers means these metals can easily be diverted from the waste stream.

Bottom line: Disposable batteries, while less toxic than they used to be, still end up in landfills more often than not. Rechargeable batteries are a boon for the environment if they are actually being recycled and not dumped into landfills or incinerated.

Lifetime vs. cost

• Lifecycle: In these terms, rechargeable batteries are the clear winners, especially in devices that are used for extended periods, like computers or digital cameras. A typical battery of this type may be recharged 500-800 times before it loses its ability to hold a charge, at which point it can be recycled. Even factoring in the higher price of rechargeable batteries, you still would need hundreds of disposables to equal that kind of lifespan.
• On the other hand: It should be noted that disposable batteries hold their charge better in devices that are only used intermittently, such as flashlights, toys or remote controls.

Bottom line: Even if environmental issues are secondary to economical issues in your book, rechargeable batteries will save you lots of green in the end.

What next

• Recycle-ability: Rechargeable batteries again have the clear edge, but it is important to remember that rechargeable batteries are not the only type that can be recycled. Some facilities have begun to collect and recycle disposable batteries. Also, many button-cell batteries (found in hearing aids and watches, for instance) are in high demand due to their valuable heavy metal content and ease of handling.
• On the other hand: Still, neither of these types of battery can be recycled as easily as rechargeable batteries, due in part to the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s (RBRC) Call2Recycle program. As part of the rechargeable battery industry’s recycling initiative, there are over 50,000 recycling centers nationwide, many at large retail chains like Home Depot, Circuit City and Sears. This greatly reduces the likelihood of consumers simply tossing their batteries in the trash. After all, a recycling program is only useful if people can easily participate.

Bottom line: Consumers should take advantage of recycling programs to ensure that their batteries are properly discarded. Also, since roughly 80 percent of batteries sold are disposable alkaline, it is up to consumers to transition to rechargeable batteries when possible.

• Find a Recycling Center Near You
• Microscopic Battery Made with Live Viruses
• Power of Pee Runs a Battery