Public urged to recycle batteries

On the occasion of Battery Day, the environment department issued a call for the public to recycle their batteries, as they can pose a great risk to the environment “despite their usefulness”.

Battery Day was established on February 18 to celebrate the birthday of Italian inventor Alessandro Volta, credited with inventing the forerunner of the modern battery in the 19^th century.

Batteries are used for a range of purposes and can be found in devices we use in our everyday lives, a press release said.

“They are everywhere, from cars to smoke detectors, watches, hearing aids and mobile phones. Medical devices rely on them to keep people alive, they help us watch our children as they sleep, and keep us safe”.

In modern times, portable electricity is not something we think about every day because it is so easily accessible, found in our portable devices, the department added. “We even have portable chargers that allow us to charge our batteries wherever we are”.

“We are never trapped or late, because we always have an alternative source. Solar batteries are recharged daily, storing energy for later”.

Every year, around 800,000 tonnes of car batteries, 190,000 tonnes of industrial batteries and 160,000 tonnes of consumer batteries enter the EU.

The department added that despite their usefulness, a large number of these batteries contain dangerous substances like lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, cobalt, chromium, vanadium, lithium, manganese and zinc, as well as acidic or alkaline electrolytes and significant quantities of valuable raw materials.

“On the occasion of Battery Day, let’s all collect the batteries we have forgotten in drawers, toys and electronic devices and take them for recycling at special bins by AFIS Cyprus”.

The bins can be found at telecommunication and electrical stores, shopping malls, supermarkets, department stores, schools, public buildings, bank branches and generally in places with high traffic.

The public can locate their closest bin on the ‘Recycling CY’ app or through the AFIS Cyprus website