The UK must by law, recycle 25% of its batteries by 2012 or face potential fines from the EU. In 2009, just 2% of batteries were recycled and the rest ended up in landfill sites, where their dumping is potentially hazardous and polluting due to their heavy metal content.
As of February 2010, shops selling more than 32kg of batteries a year (approx 345 x four-packs of AA batteries) will have to provide battery recycling collection facilities in-store. There are an increasing number of places where you can take your old batteries for recycling. Look out for battery recycling collection points when shopping in your local store.
Alternatively, you can take your waste household portable batteries (and car batteries) to the household waste recycling centre at Flusco or Kirkby Stephen.
Further information
