This headline sounds like a “shocking revelation,” but it actually highlights a very real problem that’s plaguing both environmentalists and your wallet. The “expert” is right about one crucial thing: Most people throw away button batteries (and the devices they’re in) without realizing they’re there or that they’re still functional.
Here’s what’s really behind this “revelation”:
- The Invisible Trash Can Killers
The problem isn’t just the batteries themselves, but where they’re hidden. The expert points out that people throw away items in the regular trash that they don’t realize are battery-powered:
Flashing children’s shoes and toys: Small modules with button batteries are often sewn in or encapsulated in plastic.
Musical greeting cards: Paper congratulations that play when opened contain a lithium battery.
Disposable e-cigarettes (Vapes): This is the biggest scandal at the moment. They contain high-quality lithium batteries that can be recharged hundreds of times, but people throw them in the trash after smoking.
- The “dead” battery trick
Many people throw away button batteries (such as the CR2032 type) because the device (such as a remote control or a scale) has stopped working.
Reality: The battery is often not dead, but simply has an oxidized surface or the device requires a slightly higher voltage than the battery currently provides.
Tip: Often, all you need to do is remove the battery and rub it vigorously on jeans or a cloth. This will remove the invisible layer of oxidation and the battery can work for months to come.
- Ecological and safety time bomb
Why are experts sounding the alarm?
Fires: Lithium button batteries in garbage trucks or sorting plants often short-circuit when crushed and cause devastating fires.
Toxic metals: Older types (silver-zinc or mercury) can release heavy metals into the soil when they decompose in a landfill.
🛠 What to do about it? (Expert advice)
Test with a multimeter: If you have a multimeter at home, measure it. A CR2032 button battery should have $3V$. If it has $2.8V$, it is already “dead” for the scale, but it will light up in a small LED light for another six months.
Collection points: Throw even the smallest battery in the red container or box at the supermarket.
Beware of children: This is the most important part of the “expert warning” – button batteries are extremely dangerous if swallowed (they cause internal burns within a few hours). Never leave them loose on a table.
I bet you also have an old watch or remote control in a drawer somewhere where the battery is slowly “dying”. Want to know how to identify the type of battery just by the numerical code on its surface so you don’t buy the wrong one?