Daily Herald opinion: A new recycling buzz: With new law, batteries getting focus for safety, convenience

Among new Illinois laws taking effect this month is an important measure adding batteries to paint and electronics as materials for which manufacturers must accommodate and manage recycling.

The Portable & Medium-Format Battery Stewardship Act has a rather imposing title, but its provisions and its requirements are simple and straightforward, especially for us in the suburbs where recycling options are common and relatively convenient.

The act covers everything from standard AA, AAA and 9-volt batteries virtually in daily use in flashlights, electronic toys, TV remote controls and hundreds of other household items to rechargeable batteries used in these consumer products as well as power tools, lawnmowers and an increasing array of products once available only in formats requiring plug-in to an electrical outlet.

As our Mick Zawislak reported in Monday’s Daily Herald, the recycling of these batteries is critical not just for environmental protection but for everyday safety as well.

Walter Willis, executive director of the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, which helped develop the legislation, told Zawislak fires sparked by batteries are increasingly common.

“It’s happening in garbage trucks and recycling plants, it’s happening in people’s houses,” Willis said.

In fact, experts say that batteries that can burst into flame when crushed or punctured are one of the leading causes of fires in waste facilities across the country.

In addition, many batteries contain various ingredients - like lead, nickel, acids and toxic compounds — that contaminate soil and groundwater.

For now, the law simply requires that manufacturers work with local retailers and public agencies to manage recycling efforts. On Jan. 1, 2028, it will be illegal to dispose of the batteries in regular trash, landfills or incinerators.

Fortunately, agencies and many suburban retailers are already working to make the recycling process easy and accessible. Most local communities conduct regular recycling events, often in conjunction with agencies like SWALCO in Gurnee, the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, the Kane County Electronics Recycling Center in Batavia, which also have additional recycling opportunities.

Moreover, although the law does not require it, many battery stores have made provisions for accepting recycles, as have familiar home improvement and product retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Best Buy, Staples and others.

For quick reference to recycling locations near you, go Call2Recycle online at call2recycle.org/Illinois/.

The site offers a comprehensive list of locations for all types of recycling as well as explanations about what can and cannot be recycled and how to prepare materials to be discarded.

The new law may require some getting used to, even its most argent supporters admit, but really, it shouldn’t be that difficult for most of us. Considering the potential risks of simply discarding them, the many advantages of recycling and the general convenience, it’s a good time for all of us to give renewed attention this safety habit.