‘It’s important to consider our impact on the environment’ Dr Vass
Indeed, batteries keep our hearing aids going. Based on the average 10-hour usage, one battery should last a user between 7-10 days. After that, it needs to be replaced. This means the average hearing loss patient will go through around 70 batteries a year. So, how do we correctly dispose of our old batteries?
Mercury-free batteries can typically join general household waste. Unfortunately for us, the same cannot be said for hearing aid batteries. Most hearing aid batteries are zinc-air batteries, meaning they contain zinc. Zinc, cadmium, and mercury can all be found in hearing aid batteries and are toxic to the environment. The improper disposal of these metals can lead to the contamination of groundwater. It is for this reason they should never be disposed of in household waste.
What is the best option for me?
Recycling is the best way to dispose of old hearing aid batteries. Battery recycling can recover non-renewable resources in batteries and removes toxic metals. In Australia, household battery recycling is free.
Recycling with Dr Vass
As a hearing aid provider, we understand the amount of batteries out clients go through. Sadly, Australians recycle less than 3% of all household batteries each year. As such, it is important for us to make it easy for our clients to make a change. This is why we are now offering a recycling service for those replacing batteries, or for those who just want to get rid of their old ones the right way.
Simply bring your old batteries to our practice and we’ll handle the rest.
Why should I care?
Protecting the environment and our waterways is essential for a sustainable future. The health of our children is dependent on having access to clean water and safe food, which can be adversely affected by improper battery disposal. Furthermore, the earth has a finite amount of resources that are rapidly depleting. Recycling batteries is a way to reuse materials while removing toxic ones, and is just one small way to make a big difference.