Battery recycling the proper thing to do

Throwing old batteries in with trash destined for the local landfill is not a good practice, mainly because it allows heavy metals contained in the cells to leach into the earth and contaminate groundwater, environmental experts say.

In Calabasas, the improper disposal of used batteries is illegal.

The city has been voluntarily recycling dry cell batteries for years. An increasing number of people are recycling the cells since batteries were recently declared hazardous materials by the Environmental P r o t e c t i o n Agency.

Sanitation officials say landfills aren't allowed to accept hazardous waste and can be fined if they do.

"We're trying to get people to (recycle batteries), but that is always the hard part," said Gary Armstrong, supervisor of hazardous waste monitoring for a division of the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.

"What's enforceable and what's not are two different things. Right now we're concentrating on businesses, making sure they do it the correct way," Armstrong said.

Batteries (other than automobile) and florescent light tubes are termed universal waste, distinguishing them from "e-waste"-- computer and electronic discards.

"We succeeded in collecting 5,865 pounds of dry cell batteries during the fiscal year 2005-06 and diverting them from landfills," said Alex Farassati, Calabasas environmental services manager.

Last year in Calabasas the following types of batteries were collected:

+5,380 pounds of alkaline

+252 pounds of lead acid gel cells

+131 pounds of NiCads

+29 pounds of lithium batteries

+29 pounds of nickel metal hydride

+24 pounds of lithium ion

+20 pounds of mercury button cells

Calabasas has battery recycling collection receptacles at all major supermarkets, schools and g o v e r n m e n t owned facilities in the city.

"Since February of 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency considers dry cell batteries as hazardous material that should not be disposed of at any landfill," Farassati said.

Stricter state and federal laws went into effect several years ago, and in February "everything (hazardous) got banned from landfills," Armstrong said.

Calabasas residents, who take environmental issues seriously, have responded well, according to Jamie Rinehart, Calabasas water quality monitoring coordinator.

"Our citizens go to great efforts to recycle," Rinehart said. "Every Thursday, a (city) intern named Daniel Pankau picks up the batteries at each of the (recycling) locations, but sometimes we have to collect the batteries twice a week because the containers fill up so quickly.

"The Albertsons market on Las Virgenes has two containers in their store, and we usually have to make two pickups per week."

The city sends the used batter