Button Cell Battery Recycling Project

Vermonters use button cell batteries in such products as hearing aids, watches, calculators, and digital fever thermometers and various other products. Pharmacies commonly sell button cell batteries for such products and Nursing Home residents commonly use many button cell batteries in such items as hearing aids. Most button cell batteries contain mercury. Vermont law does not restrict these batteries from being placed in the regular trash but because they contain mercury the proper disposal would be by recycling the product. Button batteries can contain as much mercury as a fluorescent bulb and yet mercury containing bulbs ARE banned from landfill disposal.

Vermont pharmacies, audiologists, hearing aid dispensers, and nursing homes have teamed up with the state of Vermont to offer free recycling for Vermont residents for all types of button cell batteries. If you have questions regarding this project contact the Mercury Hotline at 800-974-9559.

What kinds of batteries are being collected?

ONLY button cell batteries - those that contain mercury as well as the few that may not contain mercury. If the battery you are wanting to recycle is flat and round - it is a button cell battery and can be taking to your local participating pharmacies or participating nursing homes to be placed in a recycling collection container. 

What pharmacies, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers are participating in my area?