I thought it was already the law, but now it is in California. All of our commonly used batteries must be properly disposed of. The new law goes into effect February 9, 2006 in California.
The Wife and I have a one gallon plastic bucket with a lid which we drop our used batteries into. I support this move. And while I am at it nothing #!%& me off more then finding shot up batteries in the woods. The bottom feeders who leave shot up car batteries in the woods just kill the image of the American gunowner and hunter.
Within the last 12 months I recall seeing a TV NEWS show about the nasty contamination around a battery factory in China. Rather nasty!
Back to battery disposal in the woods. I have seen all kinds of batteries tossed into the woods around campgrounds. These batteries break down and leak. I have seen young children playing them. Little guys put them in their mouth, rub their face, and other their friends. As adults we can do better and teach our kids how to do it right. Clean water is a major issue and when ever a battery is tossed in the woods it lands in the watershed. Mr. Hick thinks it will hurt nothing, but in California there is a real problem with mercury contamination from the old gold mines. There are recommendations against eating fish or limiting fish consumption from many lakes, and streams. The bad part is that these same lakes and streams provide the States drinking water.
Yesterday I was in a line at the store. A woman complained about the winter weather. I told her that she needed to look at the upside of the rain and snow. Januarys rains flushes the toilet in August.
When you think about it that is a very fast turn around time. The winter snows on the Serria's and Rockies are providing summer time drinking water to the down stream homes in a short time.
The kid at the register said that does not effect him. His folks house is on a well. I wonder how that magic water table is maintained? And why in dry years wells start going dry in the West. People do not have a clue.
Many, many years ago a Bay Area community went off septic tanks to a sewer system. The down side was wells started to go dry in the area. They were no longer re-cycling their water, ugly. I shudder to think that the spetic system on my grandmothers Alabama farm was not that far from the well.
I got off on a rant. Even if your State does not require you to properly dispose of batteries, please do it.
