Connecticut residents have about 3.7 million alkaline and rechargeable batteries that have reached the end of their lifespans. An overwhelming majority of those dead batteries will be tossed in the trash.
That could soon change. The state is gearing up to become the first in the nation to adopt a comprehensive battery recycling bill that includes both single-use alkaline batteries and rechargeable batteries. State environmental officials are working with battery manufacturers to come up with a bill that will be introduced in the 2015 legislative session.
"This increases recycling, it removes items from the waste stream and it creates jobs around recovery of the material," said Tom Metzner, environmental analyst for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.