Community Battery Recycling

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

In May 2013, New Hanover County established a permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. Shortly after launching the program, the county’s Environmental Management Department partnered with New Hanover County Public Libraries, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), and the Fort Fisher Aquarium to provide satellite collection points for battery recycling. This program began in July 2013 and continues to this day. Since its inception, these satellite collection points have diverted over 7,600 pounds of batteries away from landfill disposal. The program provided a convenient way for residents throughout the county to recycle single-use batteries. An unexpected benefit was the dramatic reduction of zinc detected in the county landfill’s wastewater (“leachate”). In only two years, total zinc declined from 301 mg per liter of water to 140 mg per liter of water – a nearly 54% reduction. Heavy metals like zinc are notoriously difficult to treat and remove from wastewater effluent, which is treated and then discharged into the Northeast Cape Fear River. This program has proven effective in bringing the community together in a tangible way: to reduce landfill disposal, provide recycled raw materials back to industries, and improve water quality.