Battery return - How
Empty batteries and rechargeable batteries must not be disposed of in household waste. This is demonstrated by the printed symbol of a crossed-out dustbin. Batteries must also be removed from electrical appliances before the used appliances are sent to the recycling centre.
But where can used batteries and accumulators be handed in? Everywhere where new ones are also sold. In other words: You can find collection boxes with the battery takeback logo in the supermarket around the corner, in drugstores, department stores, DIY shops or even in electrical shops. The boxes are integrated into stations, usually near the entrance and exit, where other waste can also be dropped off.
The municipalities also collect old batteries and accumulators on a large scale at public recycling centres. These centres also accept devices/equipment that have batteries or rechargeable batteries that cannot be easily removed. There are almost always special collection bins available for this purpose. Addresses of municipal waste disposal companies and answers to the most important questions about how to dispose of waste properly can be found online.
Specialist retailers and consumers have a responsibility
The easiest way to dispose of them is at the dealers’ collection points. Wherever electrical appliances with built-in rechargeable batteries are available for purchase, they may also be disposed of. Retailers are obliged to take back used batteries and old rechargeable batteries free of charge if they carry or have carried them in their product range.
Consumers are also obliged to dispose of used batteries and accumulators at the appropriate collection points in order to prevent pollutants from entering the environment and to recycle the collected used batteries.
With more than 200,000 collection points in Germany, the nearest collection box is never far away. And thanks to the uniform collection point logo, the boxes are easy to recognise.