How to Recycle Dell Laptop Batteries

Today I got a new laptop battery for my Dell Inspiron laptop.  The old battery that came with the laptop was completely dead, so I wanted to find out if there was an easy way to recycle the old battery instead of throwing it way.  Ever since watching Garbage patch Island in the Pacific a few years ago, I've tried to recycle as much as I can, to do my part.

Well after a quick search, I discovered that there are lots of recycling drop off locations for batteries and cell phones at many of the major retailers such as Sears, RadioShack, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Best Buy and Wal-Mart.  UPDATE: I actually ended up taking my dead laptop battery down to Home Depot and they were able to recycle it.

Here's how to recycle your laptop batteries:

• Go to www.call2recycle.org/ and type in your zip code.
• The search will tell you the nearest recycle location for dropping off your batteries.

Keep in mind, according to Dell Recycling FAQ page:

Many of these large retail businesses offer a three-slot bin for dropping off batteries, cell phones and ink-jet cartridges. These bins are often located near the front of the establishment, between two sets of double glass doors. However, some stores use the program for internal battery collection only, meaning they recycle only batteries generated by their internal operations.