City of Spokane’s Battery Collection Program

Scott K. WindsorScott K. Windsor

City of Spokane Solid Waste Dept.City of Spokane Solid Waste Dept.

swindsor@spokanecity.orgswindsor@spokanecity.org

Background

19901990 City of Spokane begins collection of City of Spokane begins collection of

household batteries in order to divert household batteries in order to divert mercury and other heavy metals from the mercury and other heavy metals from the waste stream. waste stream.

Collection Means

Curbside PickupCurbside Pickup Transfer Station Drop offTransfer Station Drop off Commercial collection centers serviced by Commercial collection centers serviced by

system personnelsystem personnel First year 21 tons collectedFirst year 21 tons collected

Curbside collection

Place batteries in Place batteries in plastic bags and put plastic bags and put into your recycling bininto your recycling bin

Will pick up auto Will pick up auto batteries as well as batteries as well as other household other household batteriesbatteries

Transfer Stations

Accept batteries from Accept batteries from both household and both household and SQG sources as long SQG sources as long as batteries our as batteries our household in naturehousehold in nature

Batteries placed in Batteries placed in recycling bin for recycling bin for transportation to transportation to battery sorting areabattery sorting area

Commercial sources

Accept household Accept household batteries from local batteries from local businesses that accept businesses that accept them from their them from their customers.customers.

We pick up and We pick up and transporttransport

No feeNo fee

2004

Over 88 tons of Over 88 tons of household batteries household batteries were collected in were collected in addition to over 90 addition to over 90 tons of auto batteriestons of auto batteries

400% growth in the 400% growth in the last 14 years.last 14 years.

Types of household batteries

AlkalineAlkaline Ni-CdNi-Cd Ni-MHNi-MH Li-IonLi-Ion Sealed lead acidSealed lead acid Other- button cell, Carbonaire, etcOther- button cell, Carbonaire, etc

Management of waste stream

Alkaline batteriesAlkaline batteries Recycle?Recycle? Landfill Landfill

Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-Ion

Rechargeable Battery Recycling Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)Corporation (RBRC)

www.rbrc.orgwww.rbrc.org Will pay both shipping and recycling costsWill pay both shipping and recycling costs Successful example of Product stewardshipSuccessful example of Product stewardship

Sealed Lead Acid

RBRC will acceptRBRC will accept Local Auto Battery recyclerLocal Auto Battery recycler Interstate BatteriesInterstate Batteries Auto batteries, sealed lead acidAuto batteries, sealed lead acid Receive funds for auto batteriesReceive funds for auto batteries Sulfuric acid recycling as wellSulfuric acid recycling as well

Mercury containing batteries

Button cellButton cell Long life Smoke Long life Smoke

detectorsdetectors Other long life Other long life

applicationsapplications Sent out for retortingSent out for retorting

Batteries you don’t want

Liquid Ni-CdLiquid Ni-Cd Carbon-aireCarbon-aire Tend to be Military or Tend to be Military or

Health care relatedHealth care related Household Storage Household Storage

devicesdevices Hazardous waste Hazardous waste

disposaldisposal

Packing

New or reconditioned New or reconditioned drumsdrums

Fiber drumsFiber drums Cardboard boxesCardboard boxes Drums good for about Drums good for about

500-550 lbs.500-550 lbs. ¾ full¾ full

Cardboard box

One cubic yard boxOne cubic yard box Pricing is about 1 ½ Pricing is about 1 ½

times a reconditioned times a reconditioned drumdrum

Holds equivalent of 4 Holds equivalent of 4 drums worth of drums worth of batteriesbatteries

Has inner linerHas inner liner

Packing

No matter the final No matter the final container for disposal, container for disposal, about 1/3 to ¼ final about 1/3 to ¼ final volume needs to be volume needs to be taken up with packing taken up with packing materialmaterial

Sorting and segregating

Local low security Local low security prison provides work prison provides work crew to sort batteriescrew to sort batteries

Place batteries into Place batteries into disposal containerdisposal container

Also provide litter Also provide litter control for systemcontrol for system

Summary

The Energizer bunny The Energizer bunny isn’t laughing at you isn’t laughing at you sorting batteries, he’s sorting batteries, he’s laughing with youlaughing with you

An effective battery An effective battery collection program can collection program can be run on a low budget be run on a low budget thanks to options that thanks to options that are now available are now available