Steve Cooper | September 2, 2011
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Rechargeable batteries: better for your pocket and the environment

Ansmann maxE, Duracell Stay Charged, GP ReCyko+ rechargeable batteries

Two stories which seem to be constantly recurring on our TV screens and in the papers are the two E’s of the Economy and the Environment and no matter how much we try to ignore them, both, in one way or another have a direct impact on our lives.

With so many money saving schemes and recycling campaigns out there, it can be difficult to keep track of what to do and wonder if what you are doing is making a difference. One way in which you can make a difference to both is by switching the type of batteries you use from disposable (Alkaline) to rechargeable (NiMH).

It would be easy to say that the benefits are obvious; alkaline batteries have single usage where as NiMH batteries can be recharged up to 1000 times so it is obvious that you get more use from your battery and produce less waste at the same time. Unfortunately it isn’t that simple as with all alternative technologies there are advantages and disadvantages.

In this post I am mostly talking about standard size batteries, AAA, AA, generally the most commonly used in the home for remote controls, game console controllers, portable speakers, digital cameras, small electronic toys etc. but we can also include C and D cells used in lights, torches and larger electronic toys.

A lot of these devices have the characteristic of irregular use; e.g. a remote control sits on the arm of a chair for a long time and is then picked up to be used, a remote control car (no matter how much was wanted at Christmas and promised to be played all the time) can spend considerable periods of time in the cupboard only to be used on rare occasions. This type of usage is the major reason why Alkaline batteries are the most commonly used batteries in the UK household.

Alkaline batteries have low self-discharge, this means that the battery doesn’t lose much of the energy stored in the battery when it’s not being used. It is estimated that Alkaline batteries have a self discharge rate of around 2% per year, for NiMH batteries this is more like 1% per day when not in use meaning that you would need to know how charged the battery is and make sure it is charged regularly. This wouldn’t be too difficult to achieve but we all know how hectic our lives are and this kind of usage isn’t practical so the cost savings are outweighed by the convenience.

Recently this has changed; many manufacturers have been developing technology which makes the best of both worlds, a rechargeable battery with the storage characteristics of an Alkaline battery. With these batteries you get batteries which are:Ansmann Maxe Plus Diagram

  • Rechargeable up to 1000 times
  • Very low self discharge
  • Ready to use right away
  • High current output
  • Cost effective and environmentally friendly
  • Works with standard NiMH battery charger

So next time you think of picking up a cheap packet of disposable AA batteries have a little think to yourself, it may be cheap at the till now but over time you’ll hurt both your pocket and the environment.

Cell Pack Solutions stock a wide range of rechargeable batteries and chargers, check out the links below and we’ll point you in the right direction:

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Callum | February 23, 2010
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Battery Recycling Law in Force

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Shoppers are now able to dispose their used batteries across thousands of shops throughout the country as of this month with the new battery-recycling law coming into force in the UK.

Under a European directive, every shop selling more than a pack of batteries a day will be forced to accept old batteries for recycling and most are expected to set up in-store collection points. Many manufacturers are supplying siposal bins for retailers to offer this service in compliance.

The change will bring Britain into line with many mainland European countries, where recycling boxes for batteries have been a common sight in shops for years.

Britons use over 600 million batteries every year – an average of 21 per household – but the UK has a dismal record in recycling them. The overwhelming majority, 97 per cent, are thrown into domestic bins and end up in landfill, where their toxic metals lead, cadmium and mercury leach out into the ground and pollute water courses.

The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 is the latest attempt, following the Landfill and WEE EU directives, to transform Britain into a greener society which dumps fewer materials.

Any high street or online retailer selling more than 32kg of batteries a year, the equivalent of one pack of 4 AA batteries a day, will have to provide recycling bins or facilities.

Increasing recycling will cut greenhouse gases linked to battery production, says the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which estimates that hitting the 2016 target could save 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Major retailers such as Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Robert Dyas, Dixon’s, Curry’s and PC World are among shops offering free battery recycling.

Cell Pack Solutions suggest consumers switch to rechargeable batteries to limit the amount of waste being produced. A fantastic alternative to alkaline batteries is the Ansmann MaxE range which can be found on our website.

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Eddie | July 19, 2009
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Battery Recycling

Battery Recycling
As a responsible company involved in the Battery Industry we have for many years had to treat waste batteries as hazardous waste and have had to have it collected and disposed of by legitimate companies. Usually our waste batteries are a by product of our product refurbishment service, a service by which have been able to extend the working life of other products such as rechargeable shavers and toothbrushes. We are currently waiting for the final version of the Battery Directive before we decide which compliance scheme to join. In our investigations we have company accross the Batteryback scheme which seems to offer small businesses, schools and organizations a free battery collection service. Many Local Authorities now offer battery collection facilities also.

As a company we are very conscious of our enviromental responsibilities and have currently begun the process of working towards the ISO14001 Enviromental Standard to compliment the IS09001 Quality System.

We actively promote the use of Rechargeable Batteries, these are can very economic and can save lots of money in applications such as Digital Cameras.

We all need to do our bit in increasing the small percentage of batteries that are recycled each year. The Goverment would like to see this at 25% within a few years.

Category: Battery Recycling | Tags: ,
Eddie | June 10, 2009
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Why We Should Recycle Nickel Based Batteries

Nickel is commonly used in batteries as this metal is fairly easy to recycle and because there are numerous sources from which nickel can be extracted. Nickel is not that toxic, but other metals it reacts with inside a battery cell can be, this makes some batteries based on nickel dangerous and really hazardous to the environment if they are not recycled.
Nickel is commonly found in Nickel Cadmium Batteries. Nickel is relatively simple to recycle,but Cadmium, a very toxic material, is not. There are only a small number of factories that have the facility to recycle Cadmium. Therefore it is important not to let traces of the toxic metal to leach into the environment in landfill.
There is also another type of nickel batteries. These are called Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, and they are made of metals that are not toxic to the environment. These batteries could be easily disposed in normal waste, as they do not form a real threat to the environment, but it is better to recycle them as well because all metals that compose them, including nickel, are recyclable and can be.
Please treat batteries with care, dispose of them with care, collect them and dispose of them at local civic disposal amenities or look for battery collection centres.

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Eddie | April 25, 2009
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Battery Recycling

We are regularly asked what should be done with batteries with regards to disposal. This is a tricky one, because once you collect more than a couple of dozen then in reality they become hazardous waste and therefore you need to get a licence to transport them. Consumers have less of an issue because there are more an more battery recycling bins appearing around the country, many local councils have battery bins in their recyling centres and some are now even including battery collection as part of their household waste collections.

Industrial customers normally have to arrange for authorized collections as part of their Duty of Care. I have come across this really useful site BATTERYBACK that seems to be full of relevant information.

We try to encourage people to reduce the actual number of throwaway batteries they use by offering people good quality rechargeable cells made my companies like Ansmann and GP.

A good set of rechargeable batteries would save you money without doubt. Cheap low quality products are a waste of money, in life you get what you pay for.

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