Be a Battery Superhero!

CITY OF LINCOLN

Batteries Can Spark Trouble

Inside almost every tablet, toy, and tool, you’ll find a battery. Many of them are rechargeable, which means you can plug them in and use them again and again. Pretty cool...until it’s time to throw the device—or the battery—away.

Trashing Rechargeable Batteries is Dangerous

When garbage trucks crush trash, damaged rechargeable batteries can spark fires.

Those fires are dangerous and hard to put out, but with the help of battery superheroes like you and your family, these dangers are totally preventable.

Know Your Battery

The first step to being a battery superhero is knowing what kind of battery you’re dealing with because they’re not all the same.

Rechargeable Batteries

• Tablets and phones
• Earbuds and headphones
• Remote-control cars, hoverboards, and toys
• Power tools and yard equipment
• Laptops and portable speakers

Superhero Rule:

Do NOT put rechargeable batteries in the trash or recycling bins. Instead, take them to a battery disposal location where they are safely managed.

Single-use Batteries

These are the “one-and-done” kind (AAs, AAAs, Cs, Ds, and 9-volts). In Lincoln, they can go in the trash, but only if they are truly single-use.

Superhero Rule:

If it can’t be charged up again, it can go in the trash. If it can, it needs special disposal—even if it’s still inside a device or toy.

Be an Undercover Hero at Home

The next step to being a battery superhero is applying your knowledge of safe storage at home.

How to Say “Bye-Bye” to Batteries

• Keep rechargeable batteries in a container or bag (not loose in drawers).
• Have your parents use Lincoln’s “What Bin Does It Go In” online tool at lincoln.ne.gov/Recycle to find the safest place to take them.
• Drop batteries off at battery collection sites when no longer needed.

Super-safe Charging Habits

• Use the charger that came with your device/toy.
• Don’t charge devices on beds or under pillows.
• Keep batteries away from extreme heat.
• Tell an adult immediately if a battery is leaking, looks swollen, cracked, or smells weird.
Do not go near the battery.

Small Actions = Big Superpowers

When your family keeps rechargeable batteries out of the trash, you help:

• Prevent fires in garbage trucks and waste facilities.
• Reduce pollution.
• Keep recycling centers safe.
• Set a smart example for your family, friends, and neighbors to keep them safe.

Batteries are tiny but mighty. With everything you now know, you can be a battery superhero!

Learn where to take batteries and other hazardous materials using the online tool “What Bin Does It Go In?”