ILLINOIS. (KFVS) - A new battery recycling law is in effect in Illinois.
The Portable and Medium-Format Battery Stewardship Act went into effect in January.
Illinois is the 16th state to pass the law.
The act regulates the safe collection, recycling and management of batteries.
The law requires companies that sell batteries and products with batteries to pay into a battery stewardship organization to cover the costs of the statewide collection program.
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How to recycle batteries:
Retailers, municipalities, businesses or community organizations can serve as drop-off locations.
Click here to view battery drop-off locations in Ill. The facilities will ship batteries to recycling facilities.
For information on how to safely handle used household batteries, visit the Illinois Product Stewardship Council website.
Environmental impact of batteries:
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The mined metals and minerals in batteries can cause environmental pollution risks if not recycled. Recycling batteries reuses the metals for other materials.
It’s best to remove batteries from devices that haven’t been used in months.
Batteries can become a fire and explosion risk when thrown into trash or recycling bins.
Putting batteries in the garbage is illegal under Illinois law.
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