On the 13th, CCTV News released a microblog stating that waste batteries should not be casually discarded. According to the environmental protection department, household batteries now meet the national technical standards for low mercury or mercury-free, meaning they can be thrown away with regular household waste without the need for centralized recycling. However, lead-acid batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, button batteries, and electric vehicle batteries still need to be properly recycled.

Public Awareness Gap
In a random interview conducted yesterday, the reporter found that only one out of ten citizens was aware of these regulations.

Environmentalists' Concerns
Mr. Nie, an environmental volunteer from Nanping, Shanghai, learned seven or eight years ago that the pollution caused by a small No. 5 battery can destroy one square meter of soil. Since then, he has made it a habit to collect waste batteries. However, he found it difficult to find places for recycling. Sometimes, waste batteries even corroded into liquid form. He reached out to the Chongqing Solid Waste Management Center, which informed him that ordinary No. 5 and No. 7 batteries could be directly discarded in the trash. Mr. Nie was concerned: “Won’t this pollute the environment and soil?” As a result, he continues to collect waste batteries despite the difficulties.

Regulations on Waste Battery Disposal
As early as 2003, the State Environmental Protection Administration issued technical policies regarding the prevention and control of waste battery pollution. These policies stated that ordinary household batteries, which meet the low or mercury-free standards, could be discarded with regular garbage, as centralized collection was not encouraged at that time due to a lack of effective recycling technology.

In 1997, the China Light Industry Federation, the State Environmental Protection Administration, and other national agencies issued provisions limiting mercury content in batteries. According to these standards, low mercury content is defined as less than 0.025% by weight of the battery, while mercury-free batteries have less than 0.0001% mercury by weight. From January 1, 2002, it became illegal to sell batteries with mercury content exceeding the low mercury standard, and by 2006, selling alkaline zinc-manganese batteries with mercury content above the mercury-free standard was prohibited.

How to Dispose of Waste Batteries
The main environmental concern about waste batteries stems from heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, and lead, which are highly toxic and persist in the environment. These metals can enter the human body through the food chain, causing chronic poisoning.

Currently, batteries sold on the market must be labeled with their mercury content, so consumers can determine whether they are environmentally friendly and can be discarded in household trash.

Types of Batteries and Their Disposal

1. Lithium Batteries (used in mobile phones, etc.): These have negligible heavy metal content and can be disposed of with regular household waste.

2. Alkaline Batteries (e.g., No. 1, No. 5, and No. 7 batteries): These contain no or low mercury and can be discarded with household garbage.

3. Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteries (used in hybrid vehicles, children's toys, etc.): These contain minimal heavy metals and can also be discarded with household waste.

4. Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) Batteries (used in low-current cordless phones and electric toys): These contain large amounts of cadmium and need to be recycled.

5. Lead-Acid Batteries (used in electric vehicles, etc.): These contain significant amounts of lead and must be recycled.

6. Button Batteries (used in electronic devices, etc.): These may contain a small amount of mercury and require proper recycling.