Julie Maurer: Disposing of batteries and bulbs once they lose their spark

Julie Maurer
·2 min read
Julie Maurer is the coordinator of the Solid Waste and Materials Management Program for the Lenawee County Health Department.
Julie Maurer is the coordinator of the Solid Waste and Materials Management Program for the Lenawee County Health Department.

While batteries and light bulbs have become essential tools in our everyday lives — the disposal of them after they’ve been used up can prove to be a difficult task.

Some batteries and all florescent bulbs are considered hazardous waste, meaning they shouldn’t be put out with your regular household trash. But Lenawee County residents are fortunate in that there are other options for disposing of these items.

Batteries

How to dispose of your batteries depends on the type:

• Alkaline batteries can go right in your regular trash can. There were regulations that passed in 1996 to decrease the mercury content.

• Battery Wholesale at 1002 N. Main St., in Adrian accepts all recyclable batteries. Call 517-263-3462 for help determining which are recyclable.

• Lowe’s at 1369 Division St., in Adrian accepts lithium and rechargeable batteries. Call 517-266-1000.

• Staples accepts rechargeable batteries. Call 517-266-1176.

• Recycle Ann Arbor, 2950 E. Ellsworth in Ann Arbor accepts lithium and rechargeable batteries. Call 734-971-7400.

Please call before dropping off to ensure any of these places are still willing to accept the type of batteries you have on hand.

Florescent Bulbs

When it comes to florescent bulbs, it’s not the type that determines where to dispose of them, it’s their length.

• Lenawee County Building & Grounds Department will crush and dispose of florescent tubed light bulbs for a nominal fee from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays.  They only take the straight, florescent long tubes. Call 517-264-4738 for more information.

• Recycle Ann Abor collects the compact florescent bulbs. Call 734-971-7400.

• Home Depot in Jackson and Ypsilanti collects the compact florescent bulbs.

Spring Clean Up Day

If you can hold onto your lights and batteries for a bit, there will be a spring cleanup day on May 11. Wacker Chemical will be collecting household hazardous waste that day from 8 a.m. to noon at its location, 3301 Sutton Road, Adrian.

Battery Wholesale will be out at the Lenawee County Fairgrounds the same day from 8 a.m. to noon collecting batteries. Battery recycling fees that day are $3.50 a pound for alkaline/silver oxide, $3 each for drill/cordless tool packs, 75 cents each for lithium cell batteries, and 25 cents each for lithium coin, NI-CD, NI-MH and LiFE04 cell batteries.

The fairgrounds will also be the place to bring scrap tires, heavy packing foam and shipping supplies on that same day.

For more information about our upcoming events, and for more frequently asked waste disposal questions, visit lenawee.mi.us/solidwaste.

— Julie Maurer is the coordinator of the Solid Waste and Materials Management Program for the Lenawee County Health Department. She can be contacted at 517-264-5263 or via email at julie.maurer@lenawee.mi.us.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Julie Maurer: Disposing of batteries and bulbs once they lose their spark