RECYCLE YOUR BATTERIES! Not long ago, Hondo Fire responded to a possible structure fire in La Barbaria Canyon. We didn’t take long to get there and by the time we arrived, the flames had been extinguished by the homeowner, so this was a lucky call. What we found was a pile of used batteries that were being stored while the homeowners could figure out where to recycle them.
Batteries that seem “dead” still carry some charge. This can create a fire hazard, especially when 9V batteries are involved.
The 9V batteries are brick shaped and commonly found in smoke detectors. The main feature of these batteries (besides the extra voltage) is that both of the contacts are at the same end of the battery and it’s easy for something metallic to touch both contacts at the same time, which can cause an arc. When electricity arcs, it produced enormous amounts of heat, which in turn can lead to fire. Secondly, when a battery discharges quickly, it can grow hot even if there is no spark. Careful storage is essential.
If you have old batteries (or even new ones) it’s very important to store them correctly. If they are AA or AAA, just wrap them in masking tape with the positive terminals all at the same end and covered. The 9V need to be wrapped so that both terminals are covered in tape. This will insulate them and help prevent any discharge or unintended contact with anything around them. Alternately, if you use a lot of batteries, just put the old ones in the box that the new ones came in, again with the contacts lined up.
Local solid waste sites are equipped to receive used batteries. Here is a link to Santa Fe Waste Management web site. Click here for a calendar of “free days” when the transfer stations accept household trash, green waste, and hazardous materials without charge.
