What I learned about handling used batteries before sending them off for recycling
Sharing an observation from cleaning out a storage room full of old batteries. Alkaline, lead acid, nickel cadmium, and a pile of lithium ion packs from tools and phones had been sitting together for years, which I now understand is exactly what you should avoid. Mixed chemistries need sorting, insulating, and proper labeling before transport, and each type follows a different recovery path. Some tool packs are built from smaller cells that can still be tested and reused, while the rest go to material recovery. While sorting all of this out I checked an R2 certified recycler through this link, mainly to understand packaging and pickup requirements. What stayed with me is that metals like lead, zinc, mercury, and cadmium simply do not belong in a landfill, and the paperwork side matters as much as the collection itself.