Old battery pile growing in trial

Palmerston North’s battery recycling trial is underway and going well.

The city council launched the trial on December 14, and by January 19, 171 people had dropped off about 120kg of batteries.

Rubbish and recycling asset engineer Natasha Hickmott said the council was pleased with the uptake and was receiving positive feedback about the programme.

Hickmott said encouraging people to separate used and unwanted batteries from their general waste would help fulfil the council’s goals to reduce waste and lessen the city’s impact on the environment.

‘‘This is about getting these items out of a landfill.’’

Hickmott said the council had fielded regular inquiries about the ability to recycle or responsibly dispose of old batteries, so was confident there would be interest in a trial.

‘‘Offering a free trial will show what the participation is like and what it could potentially look like long term.’’

Batteries accepted for recycling included single use and rechargeable batteries such as AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries, and batteries from handheld devices such as mobile phones, laptops, toys, torches, cordless power tools and stereos.

The council could not accept damaged, rusted or leaking batteries. People would have to dispose of those in the normal household waste.

There is no charge to drop off batteries with staff at the Ferguson St recycling centre during regular opening hours.

The trial runs until the end of March. The council will then assess the level of participation in the trial and work out how much it would cost to run the service on a permanent basis.