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Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!!

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  Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-10 00:33 -0400
    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-09-10 09:14 +0200
      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-10 04:39 -0400
        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-10 12:02 +0100
        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Lars Poulsen <lars@beagle-ears.com> - 2026-09-10 09:41 -0700
        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-10 17:58 +0000
      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-10 11:58 +0100
        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-09-10 19:16 +0200
          Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-10 19:46 +0100
            Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-09-10 21:00 +0200
            Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-11 03:46 +0000
              Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-11 10:54 +0100
                Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-11 18:49 +0000
                  Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-12 11:27 +0100
                Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-12 02:07 -0400
                  Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-12 11:34 +0100
                  Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-09-12 13:53 +0200
                    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-12 18:38 +0000
                      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-09-12 21:38 +0200
                  Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-09-13 15:04 +0000
                    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-13 19:27 +0000
                    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-13 21:06 +0100
                      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-13 21:51 -0400
                        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-09-14 15:28 +0000
          Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-11 00:17 +0100
            Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-11 00:30 +0100
    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-10 11:55 +0100
      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-10 18:09 +0000
        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-10 19:49 +0100
          Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-11 03:11 +0000
            Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-11 10:51 +0100
              Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-11 18:52 +0000
                Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-12 02:23 -0400
                Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-12 11:30 +0100
                  Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-09-12 17:06 +0100
                    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-12 17:50 +0100
                      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-12 18:51 +0000
                        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-09-13 10:03 +0100
                          Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-09-13 16:30 +0000
                      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-12 23:49 -0400
                  Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-09-12 18:44 +0000
              Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-12 02:00 -0400
        Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-11 03:28 -0400
      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-09-11 01:54 -0400
    Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Woozy Song <suzyw0ng@outlook.com> - 2026-09-12 10:55 +0800
      Re: Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!! Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-09-14 17:14 +0000

Page 1 of 3  [1] 2 3  Next page →

#91217 — Yeeks ! DO Check Yer Phone Batteries !!!

Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
in the phone and then charging.

Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
likely to EXPLODE.

No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
seemed "OK".

Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.

Some of the newer 'idiot' phones you can hardly
even get AT the battery - yet it MAY be in similarly
dangerous condition. Keep it on your belt, in your
pocket next to your cojones, on top of anything
flammable ... BEWARE !

We've all seen vids of what happens when lithium
cells detonate. Had personal experience. Still
have one little scar.

Just some practical advice.

We KEEP hearing of replacements for lithium
batts, but rarely SEE anything. Half a dozen
years ago there was supposed to be a 'solid
electrode' version (by the guy who invented
the batteries) but NEVER SAW ANY. Sodium cells
may be the next best - and you CAN buy some,
even seen them as 'car batteries' - but they
have not penetrated the 'small device' market
worth a damn.

Check Amazon, search "sodium battery automotive"
and you'll get hits. Sodium is REAL - not bad -
but I just have NOT seen them as replacement
for exploding lithiums for small devices. There
have been MANY MANY fires, injuries, deaths from
exploding lithiums - but nobody will DO anything.

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#91223

On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
> Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
> my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
> in the phone and then charging.
> 
> Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
> battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
> likely to EXPLODE.
> 
> No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
> seemed "OK".
> 
> Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.

Don't - it is poisonous.

Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a third 
world one.


-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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#91224

On 9/10/26 03:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
>> Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
>> my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
>> in the phone and then charging.
>>
>> Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
>> battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
>> likely to EXPLODE.
>>
>> No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
>> seemed "OK".
>>
>> Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
>> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.
> 
> Don't - it is poisonous.

   NEVER cook anything in the oven ... I'm a
   microwave kind of guy ... OK, "fish sticks"
   have to go into the little convection oven for
   a few minutes.

   Basically, I see the big conventional oven as
   a FIREPROOF BOX now. Five or six big lithium
   batts in there - including an entire little
   laptop where the batt has obviously gone bad.
   MIGHT buy a new batt for it - but it's pretty
   old and slow ........

> Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a third 
> world one.

   They keep making it more and MORE difficult.

   SO ... it either goes into a hole in the ground
   of my little pond.

   NOBODY wants old, dangerous, lithium batteries.

   And yea, really, DID have one go off for no
   good reason - BURNT me a bit. You remember that.

   We need something BETTER, the safety dimension
   especially, than lithium.

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#91233

On 10/09/2026 09:39, c186282 wrote:
> NOBODY wants old, dangerous, lithium batteries.
Wrong.
They are recyclable

-- 
"I am inclined to tell the truth and dislike people who lie consistently.
This makes me unfit for the company of people of a Left persuasion, and 
all women"

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#91235

On 9/10/2026 01:39, c186282 wrote:
> On 9/10/26 03:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
>>> [ To dispose of an old lithium battery ]
>>> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.
>>
>> Don't - it is poisonous. [...]
>> Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a 
>> third world one.
> 
>    They keep making it more and MORE difficult.
> 
>    SO ... it either goes into a hole in the ground
>    of my little pond.
> 
>    NOBODY wants old, dangerous, lithium batteries.

Here in California, every municipal jurisdiction (and I think many waste 
disposal contractors) operates a recycling center, which includes 
receiving for old paint, electronic waster, old batteries (from 
automotive to button cells). There is also (likely at a different site) 
a Hazardous Waste receiving station that takes miscellaneous chemicals 
and asbestos.

Is it really true that you do not have such facilities up there in 
Trump-land?
>    And yea, really, DID have one go off for no
>    good reason - BURNT me a bit. You remember that.
> 
>    We need something BETTER, the safety dimension
>    especially, than lithium.

Phone batteries are a very complex optimized solution to achieve energy 
density in an oddly shaped space. I do not know of any modern phones 
that have batteries intended to be removed/replaced by the end user. 
Typically, the electrolyte is a gel in a pouch, with electrodes sticking 
out and soldered to the logic board. Most of the alternatives are 
bulkier for a given number of mWh and/or need a rigid frame.

-- 
Lars Poulsen - an old geek in Santa Barbara, California

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#91239

On Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:39:10 -0400, c186282 wrote:

>    NOBODY wants old, dangerous, lithium batteries.

I tossed mine in the electronic waste bin at Best Buy.

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#91232

On 10/09/2026 08:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
>> Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
>> my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
>> in the phone and then charging.
>>
>> Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
>> battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
>> likely to EXPLODE.
>>
>> No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
>> seemed "OK".
>>
>> Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
>> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.
> 
> Don't - it is poisonous.
> 
It isnt.

> Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a third 
> world one.
> 
Well we have already seen that in terms of politics and general 
infrastructure the USA is in fact a very large banana republic with a 
strutting president and [willing?] serfs.



> 

-- 
"I am inclined to tell the truth and dislike people who lie consistently.
This makes me unfit for the company of people of a Left persuasion, and 
all women"

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#91238

On 2026-09-10 12:58, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 10/09/2026 08:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
>>> Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
>>> my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
>>> in the phone and then charging.
>>>
>>> Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
>>> battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
>>> likely to EXPLODE.
>>>
>>> No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
>>> seemed "OK".
>>>
>>> Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
>>> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.
>>
>> Don't - it is poisonous.
>>
> It isnt.

ChatGPT

Q: Are lithium phone batteries poisonous for the environment? Like 
disposing them in a pond.

A: Yes. Lithium-ion phone batteries should absolutely not be disposed of 
in a pond, river, soil, or ordinary household waste.

They can harm the environment because:

     Battery chemicals and metals can leach into the water and sediment 
if the casing is damaged or corrodes. Electrolytes can be toxic to 
aquatic organisms.
     Batteries contain valuable but potentially environmentally harmful 
materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese.
     A discarded battery can short-circuit, potentially causing a 
fire—even underwater or after being removed from the water.
     In a pond, contamination can accumulate in sediment and aquatic 
life, rather than simply disappearing.

If you're asking because a phone battery has already been thrown into a 
pond, tell me roughly what happened and whether you can safely retrieve 
it. I can explain the safest way to handle it and what to do about the 
water/environment.




> 
>> Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a 
>> third world one.
>>
> Well we have already seen that in terms of politics and general 
> infrastructure the USA is in fact a very large banana republic with a 
> strutting president and [willing?] serfs.
> 
> 
> 
>>
> 


-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#91245

On 10/09/2026 18:16, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 2026-09-10 12:58, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> On 10/09/2026 08:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>> On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
>>>> Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
>>>> my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
>>>> in the phone and then charging.
>>>>
>>>> Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
>>>> battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
>>>> likely to EXPLODE.
>>>>
>>>> No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
>>>> seemed "OK".
>>>>
>>>> Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
>>>> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.
>>>
>>> Don't - it is poisonous.
>>>
>> It isnt.
> 
> ChatGPT
> 
> Q: Are lithium phone batteries poisonous for the environment? Like 
> disposing them in a pond.
> 
> A: Yes. Lithium-ion phone batteries should absolutely not be disposed of 
> in a pond, river, soil, or ordinary household waste.
> 
> They can harm the environment because:
> 
>      Battery chemicals and metals can leach into the water and sediment 
> if the casing is damaged or corrodes. Electrolytes can be toxic to 
> aquatic organisms.
>      Batteries contain valuable but potentially environmentally harmful 
> materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese.
>      A discarded battery can short-circuit, potentially causing a 
> fire—even underwater or after being removed from the water.
>      In a pond, contamination can accumulate in sediment and aquatic 
> life, rather than simply disappearing.
> 
None of that states that they are explicitly POISONOUS. And none of it 
is specific..its all handwavey bullshit.

> If you're asking because a phone battery has already been thrown into a 
> pond, tell me roughly what happened and whether you can safely retrieve 
> it. I can explain the safest way to handle it and what to do about the 
> water/environment.
> 
I haven't  thrown any into a pond, no, but I don't do RC model boats or 
throw smartphones in ponds.

But I HAVE seen then catch fire. And for a phone sized battery, in the 
open, it's no big deal.

You lose the model plane and some fairly  expensive electronics,  but 
that's it. Oh g the grass gets scorched too.
More damage happened when a guy in california left a pack - not 
connected to ANYTHING -  in the front seat of his car,. In a sunny car park.

Came pack and car was burned out


Batteries have been going into landfill for years.  Its only recently 
that people are collecting them for recycling

> 
> 
> 
>>
>>> Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a 
>>> third world one.
>>>
>> Well we have already seen that in terms of politics and general 
>> infrastructure the USA is in fact a very large banana republic with a 
>> strutting president and [willing?] serfs.
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>
> 
> 

-- 
"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow witted 
man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest 
thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly 
persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid 
before him."

    - Leo Tolstoy

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#91247

On 2026-09-10 20:46, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 10/09/2026 18:16, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2026-09-10 12:58, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>> On 10/09/2026 08:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>>> On 2026-09-10 06:33, c186282 wrote:
>>>>> Today I went to charge-up a spare battery for
>>>>> my flip phone. Easiest to do it by putting it
>>>>> in the phone and then charging.
>>>>>
>>>>> Finally got the case open - and saw the existing
>>>>> battery was physically SWOLLEN ... ie kinda more
>>>>> likely to EXPLODE.
>>>>>
>>>>> No other SIGNS of this. So FAR it's performance
>>>>> seemed "OK".
>>>>>
>>>>> Now it's in my oven - 500+ degree safety - before
>>>>> I either bury it or toss it in my little pond.
>>>>
>>>> Don't - it is poisonous.
>>>>
>>> It isnt.
>>
>> ChatGPT
>>
>> Q: Are lithium phone batteries poisonous for the environment? Like 
>> disposing them in a pond.
>>
>> A: Yes. Lithium-ion phone batteries should absolutely not be disposed 
>> of in a pond, river, soil, or ordinary household waste.
>>
>> They can harm the environment because:
>>
>>      Battery chemicals and metals can leach into the water and 
>> sediment if the casing is damaged or corrodes. Electrolytes can be 
>> toxic to aquatic organisms.
>>      Batteries contain valuable but potentially environmentally 
>> harmful materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese.
>>      A discarded battery can short-circuit, potentially causing a fire 
>> —even underwater or after being removed from the water.
>>      In a pond, contamination can accumulate in sediment and aquatic 
>> life, rather than simply disappearing.
>>
> None of that states that they are explicitly POISONOUS. And none of it 
> is specific..its all handwavey bullshit.

The regulations here say that they are poisonous. Or toxic. Same thing.

> 
>> If you're asking because a phone battery has already been thrown into 
>> a pond, tell me roughly what happened and whether you can safely 
>> retrieve it. I can explain the safest way to handle it and what to do 
>> about the water/environment.
>>
> I haven't  thrown any into a pond, no, but I don't do RC model boats or 
> throw smartphones in ponds.

c186282 has.


> 
> But I HAVE seen then catch fire. And for a phone sized battery, in the 
> open, it's no big deal.
> 
> You lose the model plane and some fairly  expensive electronics,  but 
> that's it. Oh g the grass gets scorched too.
> More damage happened when a guy in california left a pack - not 
> connected to ANYTHING -  in the front seat of his car,. In a sunny car 
> park.
> 
> Came pack and car was burned out
> 
> 
> Batteries have been going into landfill for years.  Its only recently 
> that people are collecting them for recycling
> 
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>> Surely your country has battery disposal services, unless it is a 
>>>> third world one.
>>>>
>>> Well we have already seen that in terms of politics and general 
>>> infrastructure the USA is in fact a very large banana republic with a 
>>> strutting president and [willing?] serfs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> 


-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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#91254

On Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:46:35 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Batteries have been going into landfill for years.  Its only recently
> that people are collecting them for recycling

Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA area. 
One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant places. 
You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions unloaded the 
batteries.

Fun fact: 44000 pounds of leaking, grungy batteries with unknown levels of 
charge are NOT a hazardous materials load. 44000 pounds of pristine, 
factory fresh batteries is. 

This is an important consideration if you loaded in Denver. Hazmat loads 
don't go through Eisenhower tunnel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower_Tunnel

Loveland Pass is even higher and twistier. At 12,000' if you stand up 
straight even the mountain goats need supplemental oxygen.

It didn't help that in Stephen King's 'The Stand' Trashman goes through 
the tunnel with a wolf escort.

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#91273

On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA area.
> One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant places.
> You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions unloaded the
> batteries.
I drove to one in France on business. They warned me not to park my 
$100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it


-- 
"A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight 
and understanding".

Marshall McLuhan

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#91276

On Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:54:06 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
>> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA
>> area.
>> One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant
>> places. You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions
>> unloaded the batteries.
> I drove to one in France on business. They warned me not to park my
> $100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it

It's good stuff. Part of the process after unloading was to go the a sort 
of car wash for trucks where the trailer was pressure washed. Not only did 
the contamination need to be removed before the next load but the trailers 
are principally constructed from aluminum.

I don't know the economics of the process but there was enough money in it 
to pay the battery shops for the dead batteries, pay the cost to haul them 
1000 miles, and then the costs of the recycling process itself. I don't 
know if they did anything with the acid or if it was just the lead. Golf 
cart, forklift and similar units were weighed separately since the yield 
was higher. 

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#91306

On 11/09/2026 19:49, rbowman wrote:
> On Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:54:06 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> 
>> On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
>>> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA
>>> area.
>>> One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant
>>> places. You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions
>>> unloaded the batteries.
>> I drove to one in France on business. They warned me not to park my
>> $100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it
> 
> It's good stuff. Part of the process after unloading was to go the a sort
> of car wash for trucks where the trailer was pressure washed. Not only did
> the contamination need to be removed before the next load but the trailers
> are principally constructed from aluminum.
> 
> I don't know the economics of the process but there was enough money in it
> to pay the battery shops for the dead batteries, pay the cost to haul them
> 1000 miles, and then the costs of the recycling process itself. I don't
> know if they did anything with the acid or if it was just the lead. Golf
> cart, forklift and similar units were weighed separately since the yield
> was higher.
> 
In the case of the one I visited it was an adjunct to a lead mine and 
smelting plant. My reason to be there was to help a friend install 
pollution monitoring equipment for some of the local streams and 
groundwater.

Essentially once smashed up the batteries were thrown in  the production 
line somehow.


-- 
I was brought up to believe that you should never give offence if you 
can avoid it; the new culture tells us you should always take offence if 
you can. There are now experts in the art of taking offence, indeed 
whole academic subjects, such as 'gender studies', devoted to it.

Sir Roger Scruton

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#91289

On 9/11/26 05:54, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
>> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA 
>> area.
>> One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant places.
>> You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions unloaded the
>> batteries.
> I drove to one in France on business. They warned me not to park my 
> $100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it

   Wow !

   Oh, WHY would acid drip on yer car, and from WHERE ?

   Can't think of anywhere, any normal circumstance,
   where acid would be dripping from above.

   As for lead-acid batteries ... they DO serve pretty
   well. When I need a new one the AUTO PLACE installs
   the new and TAKES the old. THEY deal with the old
   ones. Like a $10 charge or something.

   Lead CAN be recycled almost forever - and IS.
   Dealing with the acid, that's a complication.
   Kinda DO need "space suits" if you work in
   such a facility.

   BUT ... they don't abruptly EXPLODE like lithiums !

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#91308

On 12/09/2026 07:07, c186282 wrote:
> On 9/11/26 05:54, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
>>> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA 
>>> area.
>>> One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant places.
>>> You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions unloaded the
>>> batteries.
>> I drove to one in France on business. They warned me not to park my 
>> $100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it
> 
>    Wow !
> 
>    Oh, WHY would acid drip on yer car, and from WHERE ?
> 
Lead acid batteries.  The car batteries are dismantled and te sulphiric 
acid removed.

>    Can't think of anywhere, any normal circumstance,
>    where acid would be dripping from above.
> 
You don't run a battery recycling plant

>    As for lead-acid batteries ... they DO serve pretty
>    well. When I need a new one the AUTO PLACE installs
>    the new and TAKES the old. THEY deal with the old
>    ones. Like a $10 charge or something.
> 
>    Lead CAN be recycled almost forever - and IS.
>    Dealing with the acid, that's a complication.
>    Kinda DO need "space suits" if you work in
>    such a facility.
> 
No, jutrs safety rules and sgrgted area.

Wit till you have a GF with a degree in chemistry  that worked in a 
dynamite factory...

...now you know why she switched to COBOL !!! :-)

>    BUT ... they don't abruptly EXPLODE like lithiums !
> 

Lithium batteries don't go bang, they go pop with lots of flame.
Lead acid batteries that are overcharged go bang. Hydrogen.



-- 
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over 
the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that 
authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.

  Frédéric Bastiat

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#91313

On 2026-09-12 08:07, c186282 wrote:
> On 9/11/26 05:54, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
>>> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the LA 
>>> area.
>>> One was a little batter than the other but neither were pleasant places.
>>> You did not get out of the truck as space suited minions unloaded the
>>> batteries.
>> I drove to one in France on business. They warned me not to park my 
>> $100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it
> 
>    Wow !
> 
>    Oh, WHY would acid drip on yer car, and from WHERE ?
> 
>    Can't think of anywhere, any normal circumstance,
>    where acid would be dripping from above.
> 
>    As for lead-acid batteries ... they DO serve pretty
>    well. When I need a new one the AUTO PLACE installs
>    the new and TAKES the old. THEY deal with the old
>    ones. Like a $10 charge or something.

No charge here. It is mandatory for the garage or battery seller to take 
and process the old one. I think they make money out of the process.

Besides, there is a city run facility where I can deposit almost 
anything to be recycled or processed. Not asbestos.


-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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#91325

On Sat, 12 Sep 2026 13:53:48 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote:

> No charge here. It is mandatory for the garage or battery seller to take
> and process the old one. I think they make money out of the process.

There is a 'core charge' for a car battery if you don't have an old one. 
For some reason that doesn't apply for smaller motorcycle batteries. When 
I dropped some old bike batteries off at a recycler I was surprised to get 
paid for them. Not much, but better than a charge for taking them.

Unlike a lot of recycling projects there is money in batteries. Aluminum 
cans are also profitable, as is cardboard. 

One of the stranger loads I hauled was beer that had passed its shelf 
life. A recycler was able to produce enough industrial ethanol to make it 
pay. There were also able to ferment soft drinks and get alcohol. I did 
notice a pallet of diet beverages that had slipped in. 

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#91334

On 2026-09-12 20:38, rbowman wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Sep 2026 13:53:48 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> 
>> No charge here. It is mandatory for the garage or battery seller to take
>> and process the old one. I think they make money out of the process.
> 
> There is a 'core charge' for a car battery if you don't have an old one.
> For some reason that doesn't apply for smaller motorcycle batteries. When
> I dropped some old bike batteries off at a recycler I was surprised to get
> paid for them. Not much, but better than a charge for taking them.
> 
> Unlike a lot of recycling projects there is money in batteries. Aluminum
> cans are also profitable, as is cardboard.
> 
> One of the stranger loads I hauled was beer that had passed its shelf
> life. A recycler was able to produce enough industrial ethanol to make it
> pay. There were also able to ferment soft drinks and get alcohol. I did
> notice a pallet of diet beverages that had slipped in.
> 

Currently, when we buy a gadget we pay a recycling tax. All those things 
the recycling agencies are forced to take for free. At least if you are 
a plain citizen: if you take a lorry full of stuff you may have to pay.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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#91379

c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
> On 9/11/26 05:54, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> On 11/09/2026 04:46, rbowman wrote:
>>> Back in the '90s I often hauled car batteries to recyclers in the 
>>> LA area.  One was a little batter than the other but neither were 
>>> pleasant places.  You did not get out of the truck as space suited 
>>> minions unloaded the batteries.
>> I drove to one in France on business.  They warned me not to park my 
>> $100,000 car where the sulphuric acid would drip on to it
> 
>   Wow !
> 
>   Oh, WHY would acid drip on yer car, and from WHERE ?
> 
>   Can't think of anywhere, any normal circumstance, where acid would 
>   be dripping from above.
> 
>   As for lead-acid batteries ...  they DO serve pretty well.  When I 
>   need a new one the AUTO PLACE installs the new and TAKES the old.  
>   THEY deal with the old ones.  Like a $10 charge or something.
> 
>   Lead CAN be recycled almost forever - and IS.  Dealing with the 
>   acid, that's a complication.  Kinda DO need "space suits" if you 
>   work in such a facility.
> 
>   BUT ... they don't abruptly EXPLODE like lithiums !

Oh, they *can*, but creating the circumstances requires a specific set 
of conditions to exist.  During charging some hydrogen gas is emitted, 
and if allowed to build up enough density in an enclosed space to reach 
the ignition point, can be ignited via a spark or sufficiently hot 
enough heat source.

But for 99.99% of lead acids, whatever "enclosure" they are in is 
porous enough to the atmosphere that the gas density never reaches the 
ignition density, and so it is very unlikely one will ever see one go 
boom.

Plus, for lead acids, the explosion is a hydrogen gas fire, which 
extinguishes itself once the gas has burned off.  Granted, potentially 
spraying sulfuric acid all over is also no good, but is still not the 
same as a lithium ion battery fire.  Lithium ion's, once they do 
ignite, are more like thermite, they provide their own fuel and oxygen 
to continue their fires until they consume themselves.

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