What the hell do you do with old UPS batteries?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-09-07 10:54am

I found a supplier and I intend to replace the batteries in a couple of old UPS units that I have laying around the house. But what do you do with the old ones? There's a "recycle" symbol on it and I know that batteries contain enough toxic materials that you're not supposed to simply dump them in the trash, but where do you take them?

Luke Starkiller · Post by **Luke Starkiller** » 2006-09-07 11:13am

Your local landfill should have a hazardous materials dropoff. Otherwise your local phonebook might list a hazardous materials disposal centre.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-09-07 11:47am

http://www.rawmaterials.com/rmcmain.htm

These guys do specialist battery recycling. Though whether they're bulk only I don't know.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2006-09-07 11:59am

Can't you leave them to the store where you bought the UPS?

It is law here, if you sell stuff you must accept and recycle stuff like batteries, and all the attended gas stations have place to store enviroment dangerous stuff.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2006-09-07 02:23pm

Ebay to the rescue! Your old used up batteries are someone's treasure, take some pictures, type up some nice creative text, and get someone to buy them off you. I'm sure there's a survivalist somewhere in the boonies looking for some batteries for his off-grid electrical needs.

Seriously, the waste pickup calendar the city sends us every year should have a hazardous waste disposal site listed in it somewhere. Bring the batteries to them and let them take care of it.

Vain · Post by **Vain** » 2006-09-07 03:24pm

I'm a sys admin, so I work with old UPS batteries on a fairly regular basis. My experience has been that when I order fresh UPS batteries, they come with a shipping label so that I can just pack up the old batteries in the material the new ones came in, and send them back.

Death from the Sea · Post by **Death from the Sea** » 2006-09-07 11:44pm

aerius wrote:Ebay to the rescue! Your old used up batteries are someone's treasure, take some pictures, type up some nice creative text, and get someone to buy them off you. I'm sure there's a survivalist somewhere in the boonies looking for some batteries for his off-grid electrical needs.

Seriously, the waste pickup calendar the city sends us every year should have a hazardous waste disposal site listed in it somewhere. Bring the batteries to them and let them take care of it.

sad thing is though I really do think someone would buy it.