A few weeks ago, we featured a post about old car batteries and I was surprised by the positive response – I thought they would thought they would be one of those things that are destined to sit around being really bad for the planet for millions of years.

So taking inspiration from that, are there any ways to recycle old type of other battery either when they’re used up or no longer rechargeable?

I’m thinking, primarily, about AA and AAA batteries (pencil and um, small thin pencil) ones because they’re the size that most people seem to use around the house but any ideas for any size battery are welcome.

(Photo by iwanbeijes)

Had an email from Christine about electric cars and car batteries:

For a year I drove the Think electric city car before Ford called them all back in for crushing (they ended up in Norway after Greenpeace kicked up a stink) and now I’m on a quest to get them back over here. My husband was a transportation planner in his earlier working life, so he’s trying to get the new owners of Think to talk to the Scottish govt about building them over here from kits. How cool would that be???

Anyway, it made me think – what can you do to recycle [car] batteries of any kind? Or is that a no-go area? I’d love to come up with a workable idea as the batteries are always targeted by the unbelievers when electric cars are touted as green vehicles.

Any suggestions for recycling – or (I suspect a long shot) reusing – them?