Battery waste disposal in developing countries (non-vehicle batteries)

• Commonly Used In: Remote controls, toys, clocks, flashlights… 

• Advantages: Widely available, affordable, long shelf life. 

• Disadvantages: can leak if left unused for a long time. 

• Recycling: separating zinc, manganese, steel, and other and reuse in road construction, steel production, fertilisers. 

• Commonly Used In: Smartphones, laptops, portable power banks, portable medical devices (i.e. insulin pumps, oxygen concentrators, hearing aids, defibrillators…). Also used for electric cars. 

• Advantages: High energy density, lightweight, rechargeable, long-lasting, low self-discharge rate. 

• Disadvantages: Expensive, can degrade over time and highly flammable if overcharged/exposed to high temperatures, which makes it dangerous in air freight or on recycling sites.  

• Recycling: specialised process to separate cobalt, lithium salt, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, and plastic for reuse. 

• Commonly Used In: Digital cameras, toys, rechargeable medical devices (blood pressure monitors, thermometers, portable ECG devices…) 

• Advantages: Rechargeable, high capacity, more environmental-friendly than nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries. 

• Disadvantages: Lower energy density than lithium-ion, discharge faster when not in use. 

• Recycling : Plastics removed, cells dried and processed, used to manufacture stainless steel or alloy. 

• Commonly Used In: Power tools, emergency lighting, and some older electronic devices. Were banned in Europe in 2009. 

• Advantages: Durable, withstanding deep discharge cycles, relatively cheap. 

• Disadvantages: memory effect (capacity loss if charged when not fully discharged), contain toxic cadmium. 

• Recycling: Metals like nickel, cadmium, and iron are separated and melted in high-temperature furnaces for reuse in products like new NiCd batteries. 

• Commonly Used In: Larger medical equipment, such as dialysis machines, electric wheelchairs, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). And vehicles of course. 

• Advantages: Reliable, low-cost, able to supply high surge currents for longer durations. 

• Disadvantages: Heavy, low energy density, shorter lifespan, toxic (lead and sulfuric acid). 

• Recycled : only battery recycled profitably. The acid is removed, the battery melted in a furnace to recover lead. Refined lead is used in new batteries. The plastic is also recycled. Sulfuric acid is neutralised or converted in sodium sulfate. Recycling rate: 98% in high-income countries. 

• Commonly Used In: Flashlights, radios, and other low-power devices. 

• Chemistry: Zinc and manganese dioxide. 

• Advantages: Inexpensive and widely available. 

• Disadvantages: Lower capacity than alkaline batteries, less efficient for high-drain devices. 

• Recycled like alkaline batteries or using high-temperature metal reclamation for reuse in products such as steel, zinc roofing, and fertilisers. 

• Commonly Used In: Watches, hearing aids, small devices (calculators, glucose meters…) 

• Advantages: Small size, high energy density, and stable voltage output. 

• Disadvantages: Expensive and not widely available in large quantities. 

• Commonly Used In: Cameras, medical devices (Pacemakers, hearing aids, and glucose meters). 

• Advantages: High energy density, long shelf life, cope with extreme temperatures. 

• Disadvantages: Expensive, need to be replaced after use. 

• Recycled: Shredded and exposed to an alkaline solution to recover metals like lithium, which is converted into lithium carbonate for reuse in new batteries. 

When possible, use non-powered equipment, or plug-in rather than wireless battery-powered. If batteries are needed, prefer rechargeable batteries (10) which are 90% less harmful for the environment than disposable ones (if used properly). Use the battery correctly to increase lifespan (i.e. low-power mode, and extend after expiry date when not at risk) and avoid exposure to high temperature (i.e. below 30°C). Store the spare batteries properly according to manufacturer specification. (11) 

With time, cycling and heat, rechargeable batteries lose capacity, but they are still usable for electrical / electronic devices that need a lower energy performance, like clock, radios etc. Aging batteries should not be donated to organisation or staff, as it reduces the chance that they will be properly eliminated afterwards. 

Store used batteries in a climate-controlled room (below 30°C), preserved from rodent, humidity, direct sunlight, metallic objects, chemical, fuel or heat sources. Store batteries per type, avoid mixing old and new batteries or lead-acid and lithium-ion. Used, ready–for–disposal batteries must be stored power-empty. (12) Avoid keeping them in plastic bags and consider specific battery safety boxes. (13) 

Check local regulations and identify legal infrastructure certified to dispose batteries. Recycling industries develop everywhere, keep informed about new structures and check for quality procedures and facilities. Each type of battery requires a specific disposal process and facility. 

When relevant, aggregate battery waste with other organisations in order to mutualise contractualisation with certified facilities and reduce costs. Consider organising hazardous waste elimination campaign. 

When no local facility exists and if nearby, neighbor country can and accepts to treat used batteries, then consider short-haul exportation by road, respecting the Basel Convention (must be non-hazardous, with written approval of all parties) for trans-border waste transportation. In such case, join quantities and forces with other actors.  

This should be avoided and instead, evacuate rapidly used batteries from unstable contexts. Never burn or incinerate a battery (risk of explosion).