Contact:
Meghan Jordan Fay Lim
Communications Specialist II Communications Supervisor
Meghan.Jordan@snoco.org Fay.Lim@snoco.org
425-388-3918 425-388-6413
Get Energized to Recycle Today for National Battery Day
Snohomish County’s waste and recycling facilities accept batteries free of charge
EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 18, 2020 – From toys, power tools, cars to medical devices, batteries power the way we play, work, and even survive. When batteries wear out, many people just toss them in the trash. To commemorate National Battery Day on Tuesday, February 18, Snohomish County Public Works Solid Waste Division would like to encourage the public to change the way they discard batteries by recycling them.
"National Battery Day is the perfect time to celebrate why we love batteries, but we don’t love the way they can break down and pollute our environment,” said Snohomish County Solid Waste Superintendent Linda Rhoades Clarke. “Lithium-ion batteries are especially dangerous because they are a potential fire hazard. We should dispose of them properly.”
Lithium-ion batteries are used more than ever since they power many electronics, such as games, power tools and a host of devices that require a longer and greater charge. These batteries have been known to swell up when damaged and can potentially start a fire after being hit and knocked around, like what happens at a landfill. A Snohomish County transfer facility has experienced at least one small fire suspected to have been caused by a damaged lithium-ion battery from a discarded toy. Fires at many landfills around the state and country have been confirmed to have been caused by damaged lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion and other batteries are considered household hazardous waste by Snohomish County code. The public is encouraged to take their lithium-ion and all other common-use batteries to a Snohomish County Transfer Station, Drop Box or Household Hazardous Waste Facility. For the recycling of large quantities of batteries, residents should take them to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Businesses will need to make an appointment to recycle their batteries.
“It is important to divert batteries and other hazardous materials from landfills and by accepting them for free we are doing our part to protect our environment and prevent potential landfill fires,” said Snohomish County Public Works Director Kelly Snyder. “We hope residents will celebrate National Battery Day by taking used and dead batteries to any of our facilities to recycle.”
To learn more about recycling batteries, call the Snohomish County Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Station at (425) 388-6050, or visit https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/477/Hazardous-Waste.
About Snohomish County Public Works
The Snohomish County Public Works Department constructs and maintains county roads; controls and manages surface water quantity, quality, and fish habitats; and oversees the recycling and disposal of solid waste. The department’s main office is located at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett, WA 98201. For more information about Snohomish County Public Works, visit www.snohomishcountywa.gov/PublicWorks.