It’s hardly a secret these days that recycling cars is the best thing to do for the sake of the environment and quite often the benefit of the owner too. Steel recycling is a massive global industry and one the world depends on to get by, but what few seem to realise is just how many other parts of the average car can also be recycled. 
For example, chances are you might not have realised that the battery in your car can be recycled to the tune of a full 98%. Even the acid the battery contains in order to function can be recycled and used again, so are you really doing your bit when it comes to giving all elements of your car a new lease of life?
Valuable Recycling
It’s natural to assume that the sulphuric acid in a car battery serves no real purpose once the battery has crapped-out once and for all, but this isn’t the case at all. It is in fact perfectly possible to convert this acid into sodium sulphate, which can eventually be used as a key ingredient in a variety of fertilisers, detergents for cleaning and can even be made into glass.
Lead may be considered an unsafe material to use in most everyday products, but it remains an incredibly important component for use in various industrial and scientific environments. When a car battery is recycled, the lead is once again melted down in order to remove all present impurities, after which it can once again be brought back to life in all manner of forms.
As for the plastic case of the battery, it’s the usual case of the polypropylene being broken down into small pieces before being melted down and summarily brought to life once again in the form of a wide variety of plastic products. From plant pots for the garden to dustbins and so many more examples besides, any and all you see could have once existed as car battery cases.
Proper Disposal
Car batteries have the potential to be pretty dangerous devices if not properly handled and are certainly an environmental risk if not disposed of with care and thought. Batteries of all shapes and sizes should never be thrown in the trash with the rest of the rubbish, nor should they be left around the home or garden indefinitely. And of course, the worst thing you can possibly do with any kind of battery is burn it – you’re rolling the dice with disaster!
Most recycling centres and even supermarkets these days have special bins and containers laid out for smaller batteries, though when it comes to car batteries it may be necessary to contact a scrap yard or car recycling centre. In all cases, they’ll be able to take your batteries and ensure they’re either recycled or put back to use in the safest and most responsible manner possible with the environment in mind.
There’s no such thing as a dead car battery – just a battery awaiting reincarnation as something else!
