Lithium batteries are small dry-cell, sealed, non-rechargeable AA, AAA, 9-volt, small-cylinder, button or poly-wrapped cell packs used in, watches, handheld electronics, tire-pressure sensors, alarms, memory backup, high temperature applications, pacemakers and remote car locks.
The contents of these batteries are exposed using a shredder or a high-speed hammer depending on battery size. The contents are then submerged in caustic (basic, not acidic) water. This caustic solution neutralizes the electrolytes, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals are recovered. The clean scrap metal is then sold to metal recyclers. The solution is then filtered. The carbon is recovered and pressed into sheets of carbon cake. Some of the carbon is recycled with cobalt. The lithium in the solution (lithium hydroxide) is converted to lithium carbonate, a fine white powder. What results is technical grade lithium carbonate, which is used to make lithium ingot metal and foil for batteries. It also provides lithium metal for resale and for the manufacture of sulfur dioxide batteries.
The cost to transport and recycle Lithium batteries is $3.80 per pound.
All Battery Sales and Service can provide documentation of the recycling of your waste batteries including copies of the transportation manifests and Certification of Reclamation from the end site recycler.
Call 800-526-3212 to arrange for container delivery and begin recycling your primary Lithium batteries.
Lithium Thionyl Chloride
LTC batteries pose a higher fire risk than other lithium batteries and require special handling when recycling. They are a Lithium primary, non rechargeable, battery most often used for memory back-up, real-time clocks, utility metering, automated meter reading, wireless alarms and security devices, emergency location transmitter beacons, electronic toll collection and professional electronics devices.
As with all Lithium batteries, the contact points must be taped prior to storage. An alternative to taping is putting an individual Lithium battery in a plastic bag. In addition, Lithium Thionyl Chloride batteries must be stored separately from other battery chemistries including other Lithium primary batteries. These batteries have a high energy density and can short circuit, causing a fire if stored improperly.
It is likely that Lithium Thionyl Chloride batteries will only make up a small percentage of the total Lithium primary batteries you will be recycling; probably in the range of ten percent.
Identification of these batteries can be tricky. Although they have a chemical make-up different than other Lithium Primary batteries, they are often labeled only as Lithium. To differentiate you may need to go online. A fairly comprehensive collection of these batteries can be found at:
Click here for Lithium TC examples.
Some LTC batteries will be identified as such by product codes such as “Li-SOC12” or the designation of “ER” in their product code.
The special handling, transporting and recycling of Lithium Thionyl Chloride batteries requires All Battery Sales and Service to charge $5.00 per pound to recycle them.
All Battery Sales and Service can provide documentation of the recycling of your waste batteries including copies of the transportation manifests and Certification of Reclamation from the end site recycler.
Call 800-526-3212 to arrange for container delivery and begin recycling your Lithium Thionyl Chloride batteries.
