The Hilltown Resource Management Cooperative wants residents will help lead the charge in getting old batteries out of the waste stream where they pose a threat to the environment and public health.
The Hilltown Resource Management Cooperative provides free recycling services for rechargeable batteries and cellphones at all member-town transfer stations.
Member towns include: Ashfield, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington.
Button and lithium batteries, as well as rechargeable batteries and regular batteries from cell phones, laptops, iPods, rechargeable razors, battery charged toothbrushes, flashlights and hand-held vacuums may be brought in.
Each battery should be individually placed in a plastic bag before being stored together with other rechargeable batteries to reduce the risk of fire.
Button batteries should be placed on a clear piece of packing tape with a second layer of tape used to secure the batteries so that they do not come in contact with one another, yet can still be identified at the transfer station.
Non-button type lithium batteries should be individually bagged.
Domestically manufactured alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D and 9-volt) made after 1996 no longer contain mercury and can be disposed of with household trash.
For more information on batteries and the handling of other items, see the “What do I do with” link on the HRMC website at hrmc-ma.org.