Over time, the chemicals begin to lose their effectiveness and the battery stops working. Instead of producing heat, which is what the reaction would typically generate, a battery makes an electric current, which passes from the battery to the connection points on the device. They work by causing a reaction between powdered zinc and manganese dioxide. Available in sizes AAA through D, they can be used in electronic devices such as MP3 players and handheld video games, to household products such as clocks, flashlights and children’s toys.Īlkaline batteries are primarily made of zinc, manganese and steel.
They are the most common type of battery on the market and can be purchased in any grocery or hardware store. What are alkaline batteries?Open up pretty much any battery-powered device in your home and it is likely to have alkaline batteries (also known as dry cell batteries) inside it. We have one solution and recommend a second: Try using rechargeable batteries in place of non-rechargeable ones. As a result, it is very tough to find a place that takes them.
Since alkaline batteries no longer contain mercury or other heavy metals, many people believe it is better to throw away them away than go to the trouble of recycling them. The vast majority of those are alkaline batteries, which are the common, everyday type made by manufacturers such as Duracell and Energizer. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans throw away 3 billion batteries every year (which translates to roughly eight batteries per person). As people’s infatuation with electronic goods has grown, so too has our appetite for batteries.