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**Unrersvar** · 12-01-2006, 01:11 AM

Law Requiring New Yorkers To Recycle Certain Batteries
Goes Into Effect Friday

ny1.com
November 30, 2006

A new law goes into effect Friday that both requires, and makes it easier, for New Yorkers to properly dispose of certain batteries that are no longer good. NY1’s tech beat reporter Adam Balkin filed the following report.

As of Friday, there is a brand new, New York City law; you are no longer allowed to throw rechargeable batteries in the trash.

“You know these little batteries we have that look very innocuous are actually little toxic time bombs, if you will, because when they end up in landfills, they contain heavy metals, cadmium, nickel, lead, mercury, and when they go into landfills and open up those materials leak into the ground and cause very bad pollution,” explained City Councilman Michael McMahon.

Any retailer in the city that sells batteries will be required to stick boxes somewhere in the store for consumers to stick any used rechargeable batteries inside, including phone batteries, computer batteries, and camera batteries. At no cost to the store, the non-profit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation will then dispose of them or help redistribute the components.

“The battery in a cordless phone is typically a nickel cadmium battery so there's nickel and cadmium,” said Ralph Millard of www.call2recycle.org. “The nickel can be recovered from the battery and used to make stainless steel. The cadmium is used to make new batteries.”

What happens to New Yorkers who decide not to recycle? Well at first there is a six month grace period, after which, if a recyclable battery is found in your trash, you could be fined up to $50 for each battery.

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation says last year in the U.S., more than 5 million pounds of batteries were recycled voluntarily. It says thanks to the new law, it expects several hundreds of thousands of pounds more from New York City alone.

Copyright © 2006 NY1 News.

12-01-2006, 01:11 AM	#13
Unrersvar Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 511 Senior Member	Law Requiring New Yorkers To Recycle Certain Batteries Goes Into Effect Friday ny1.com November 30, 2006 A new law goes into effect Friday that both requires, and makes it easier, for New Yorkers to properly dispose of certain batteries that are no longer good. NY1’s tech beat reporter Adam Balkin filed the following report. As of Friday, there is a brand new, New York City law; you are no longer allowed to throw rechargeable batteries in the trash. “You know these little batteries we have that look very innocuous are actually little toxic time bombs, if you will, because when they end up in landfills, they contain heavy metals, cadmium, nickel, lead, mercury, and when they go into landfills and open up those materials leak into the ground and cause very bad pollution,” explained City Councilman Michael McMahon. Any retailer in the city that sells batteries will be required to stick boxes somewhere in the store for consumers to stick any used rechargeable batteries inside, including phone batteries, computer batteries, and camera batteries. At no cost to the store, the non-profit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation will then dispose of them or help redistribute the components. “The battery in a cordless phone is typically a nickel cadmium battery so there's nickel and cadmium,” said Ralph Millard of www.call2recycle.org. “The nickel can be recovered from the battery and used to make stainless steel. The cadmium is used to make new batteries.” What happens to New Yorkers who decide not to recycle? Well at first there is a six month grace period, after which, if a recyclable battery is found in your trash, you could be fined up to $50 for each battery. The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation says last year in the U.S., more than 5 million pounds of batteries were recycled voluntarily. It says thanks to the new law, it expects several hundreds of thousands of pounds more from New York City alone. Copyright © 2006 NY1 News.
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