Business

AAA: Drivers Can Receive $5 For Their Old Batteries

Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Motorists can receive $5 for every auto or marine battery they bring in to any one of 34 AAA Car Care Centers or 58 Approved Auto Repair shops in North and South Carolina from April 20 to 26.

Held every April in conjunction with Earth Day (April 22 this year), AAA Carolinas’ Great Battery Roundup is a used battery collection and recycling program that is available to the general public, as well as AAA members.

“Batteries that are not disposed of properly do serious and at times irrepabale harm to our environment,” said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “This program is a win-win for everyone including motorists, AAA, battery recycle centers and the environment at large.”

AAA encourages residents to help fight stream and ground pollution and raise awareness by recycling batteries at one of 92 convenient locations in North and South Carolina. Check the attached list for locations and call for directions and hours.

“We hope AAA’s Great Battery Roundup will discourage illegal dumping and encourage recycling,” said Judson Patterson, AAA Carolinas Automotive Field Support Manager.

In the past three years, AAA Carolinas Battery Program, which delivers and installs batteries for members, has collected and recycled more than 175,000 batteries.

At zero degrees Fahrenheit, a car’s battery may lose 60% of its strength. At a mild 32 degrees Fahrenheit, a battery is 35% weaker. An older battery is not as reliable in severe cold or heat.

AAA started this service to aid the environment and prevent potential improper installation of batteries by individuals. More than 10,000 used batteries in the Carolinas have been turned in for proper disposal during three previous Earth Weeks.

Battery recycle centers reuse or properly dispose of harmful components such as lead and sulfuric acid. Nationwide, more than 101 million lead-acid batteries are sold each year and many are illegally disposed of in dumps or near water sources. When left lying around the house or garage, these hazardous materials can leak into groundwater or explode in a fire.

Nationwide, AAA collects and now recycles more than 1 million batteries each year. AAA has been engaged in the program since 2001.

Be sure to use caution when handling used batteries. Some safety tips include:

  • Wear gloves and safety glasses when handling used batteries
  • Keep batteries upright and place them in a sturdy box or plastic container to transport them
  • Handle any cracked or leaking battery case with care by putting it in a leak-proof container
  • Never expose batteries to an open flame or smoke
  • Keep out of the reach of children

For more information about the program, contact a local AAA Car Care Center. A list of them can be found online.

Nikki Gaskins Campbell
Follow Me

Comments are closed.