Battery Recycling and E-Waste

E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their "useful life." Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled. Unfortunately, electronic discards is one of the fastest growing segments of our nation's waste stream

The Unversity coordinates recycling of used batteries, old cell phones, and small electronics through the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Most common batteries such as single, double, triple "A", 9 volt, C, D, mobile radio, cell phone, small electronics, cordless phone, rechargeable and lap top batteries are accepted. Simply drop off your batteries at one of the locations listed below.

Auto (lead acid) batteries are NOT accepted.

Recycle Your Batteries At These Campus Locations

Building	Location
Centennial Halls	Recycling station near the front desk
Centennial Towers	Recycling station near the front desk
Nelson Hall	Recycling station near the front desk
JMAC	Recycling station near the front desk
Nagel	Recycling station near the front desk
Driscoll	At the information desk
Law	Outside the Student Affairs office room 215
Sturm	1st Floor Vending Area
Olin	Biology office
Penrose	SW Corner of the lobby near the main entrance

Battery Facts and Stats

Consumption
Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries every year to power radios, toys, cellular phones, watches, laptop computers, and portable power tools.
Inside a battery, heavy metals react with chemical electrolyte to produce the battery's power.

Wet-cell batteries, which contain a liquid electrolyte, commonly power automobiles, boats, or motorcycles. Nearly 99 million wet-cell lead-acid car batteries are manufactured each year. A car battery contains 18 pounds of lead and one pound of sulfuric acid.

Auto Batteries

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 100 million automotive lead-acid batteries are produced annually in the United States. About 97 percent of lead in spent batteries is recyclable, but an estimated 5 million batteries are not recycled each year. Each battery contains, on average, 21 pounds of lead, three pounds of plastic and one gallon of sulfuric acid. Improper disposal can put toxic substances into landfills, and subsequently into the groundwater.

One source for automobile batteries in the Denver area:

Rocky Mountain Batteries
7975 W. 44th Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
303-423-7142

Buys lead acid (car) batteries. Household batteries are accepted for a fee: $2.00/lb. for alkaline and $4.00/lb. for nickel cadmium. Please call for more information