Dispose of Things Properly in Your Home
My husband is constantly getting after me about what I shouldn’t put down the garbage disposal. We have a private sewer and it’s a constant challenge to keep it in check. Apparently, putting large amounts of food and grease is a big no-no. The food doesn’t break down as quickly as it should, and grease, well, much like your arteries, it can block up pipes and collect in the unit, making for a big mess.
Homeownership Comes With a Learning Curve
I didn’t know any of this until I became a married homeowner. Always learning, right? Well, today I learned that you shouldn’t throw batteries in the trash. Who are we kidding, though? Either you pitch them or throw them all together in a ziplock bag in a drawer and then spend hours testing them all when you need a new battery.
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Why You Shouldn’t Throw Batteries in the Trash
According to Alexandra Fisher, author of The Mommy Confessions and former EMT said that throwing batteries in the trash can be dangerous. She said that if they touch, they can cause a spark. Even “dead” batteries could have enough juice to be a danger. She suggests putting tape at both ends and keeping them in a glass jar until you can dispose of them properly.
In the US (EXCEPT CALIFORNIA) all alkaline (one time use batteries- such as AA, AAA, C, D, 9V…) can be disposed of in your everyday garbage. However, that poses a fire risk for your family and your home. If you just cover both ends of the battery, the battery can no longer spark and cause a fire. *All LITHIUM batteries (rechargeable batteries) need to be disposed of at a battery disposal center. These include Loews, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc. However, while you’re storing these batteries, waiting for them to be dropped off, you’re going to want to cover/protect, the (+) and (-) “ports”, so they can’t create a circuit, and then a possible fire. I use scotch tape, but you can use anything that will block access to the (+) and (-).
How True is This?
I thought, how strange my husband never mentioned this to me! And who among us doesn’t have a battery bag? So, I bothered him while he was at work to ask about this pressing issue. He told me that the chances of this happening are quite small, and there has to be a metal conductor. So, yes possible but not possible enough for me to stress about it.
According to elementfire.com, “Even the potentially dead batteries may still have enough charge in them to start a fire if it comes in contact with conductors and is sitting close to combustible surfaces.” They also suggest using electrical tape, not scotch tape…