Recharge the environment by recyling your battery

Accidentally invented back in 1800, batteries have become an inseparable part of our life 200 years after their arrival. With developing technology, mobile, office and electronic devices now make our lives easier meaning an extra dependency on battery use. Every year, 9,000 tons of these simple, yet effective, batteries, which store chemical energy by turning it into electric energy, are introduced to the market in Turkey but only 325 tons of them are collected for recycling. Each battery that is thrown in the garbage leaks harmful substances after getting rid of its external cover.
Mixing with underground waters or tap water, these chemical substances - especially mercury - pose a hazard to human health due to the heavy chemicals they contain. Although the harmful substances and mercury rates in batteries are reduced thanks to recent research, batteries still endanger the environment so recycling of waste batteries is crucial. It is possible to collect waste batteries in plastic bags, cardboard boxes or jars and leave them to waste battery boxes at supermarkets, schools and other collection centers designated by municipalities. Portable Battery Producers and Exporters (TAP) is the only foundation authorized by the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning for collecting, transporting, storing and disposing waste batteries. The foundation has been carrying out its works throughout Turkey since 2004. The closest waste battery collection center can be found on theFoundation's website.First, the collected waste batteries are categorized according to their chemical contents and whether they are chargeable or not. Since chargeable batteries contain more valuable chemicals compared to normal batteries, they are sent to waste battery facilities in Europe. The unchangeable batteries are disposed at facilities in Turkey.