Disposing of old car batteries

bluemoon_3

I'm planning a trip to the tip in the next week or two, and it's the perfect opportunity to dispose of the two old car batteries that were in my garden when I moved in.

They've been there at least three years and have been rained on, snowed on, etc. They're also wedged into a difficult spot, so will probably take a bit of manoevering and tugging to get out.

Any advice about precautions and safety issues when handling them and then transporting them in my car? I'll need some sort of protective gloves, I imagine, but I don't really know what they should be made of.

Any guidance would be appreciated, no matter how obvious it seems.

Alias_Omega

Base should be made out of plastic, not very volatile these days due to sitting around. Just put them into a plastic tub or something as a waste to spill acid in the boot of the car.

Not heavy or anything, just acid can smell / make a mess of boot floor

stumpjumper

I you're worried about getting any acid on your hands, ordianry kitchen rubber gloves will be good enough to protect you.

Conor_3

Don't scrapyards pay you for batteries anymore?

thescouselander

Not sure if it is the same up your way but round here (south glos.) the council will take car batteries from the doorstep with the recycling collection.

moonrakerz

Conor wrote: »

Don't scrapyards pay you for batteries anymore?

There is so much paperwork involved nowadays they don't bother; about the only place is your local recycling centre.

If you are having trouble sleeping, read this lot !!

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/batteries/index.htm

bluemoon_3

thescouselander wrote: »

Not sure if it is the same up your way but round here (south glos.) the council will take car batteries from the doorstep with the recycling collection.

I'm afraid they don't here - I already phoned and asked.

Thanks everyone for putting my mind at ease - I wasn't sure how hazardous they were going to be, but it should be fairly straight-forward.

Hintza

Conor wrote: »

Don't scrapyards pay you for batteries anymore?

In the early 80's you used to get £1 per battery!!

But I bieve that that is not the case anymore.

scbk

The price of lead is rising daily (hence why new batteries cost so much)
Scrap batteries are worth around £300/tonne
So not a huge amount for a single battery from a small car, but still something

If there's any sign of leaking handle with gloves or atleast wash your hands afterwards

goldspanners

scbk wrote: »

The price of lead is rising daily (hence why new batteries cost so much)
Scrap batteries are worth around £300/tonne
So not a huge amount for a single battery from a small car, but still something

If there's any sign of leaking handle with gloves or atleast wash your hands afterwards

this is true,find a few more old batteries and go to a scrap metal merchant they will pay you for them.
im a forklift engineer and i work with all sizes of batteries,the scrap merchants happily take them,but you do need to find one that has suitable premises to store and handle them.

harveybobbles

We sell ours to [strike] gypos[/strike] Travellers.
They normally pay about £1.50 for them.