To have thrown a bunch of smashed up old mobile phones in the bin

[Pavementworrier]

Sims removed but otherwise just as they were

I'd been keeping of them to "destroy securely" but they're driving me insane around the house so enough was enough

Will I get digitally kidnapped now? They were really old and shit phones.

Would that be like putting a sticker on a microwave saying ‘Do not dry damp small dogs in this appliance’?

Shops that sell batteries are obligated to have battery recycling bins - municipal recycling centres also have them.

From what I've seen, all types of batteries are accepted.

I am maybe naive but I thought everyone now always recycled batteries, electronics, etc?

Every electrical item (including batteries) sold in EU/UK over the last 15 years or so has had a picture of a crossed out wheelie bin on it, so I did think it was common knowledge not to throw batteries or old electrical items in the bin. IIRC everywhere that sells electrical items must take them back for recycling (and not only their own, but any). Lithium ion batteries are particularly dangerous, you really don't want them hanging around in your house past their useful lifespan. You can google "lithium ion battery fire" or "old phone caught fire" if you like nightmares. They burn much hotter than other fuels and are extremely difficult to put out.

But OTOH all the wailing and gnashing of teeth is a bit much. It's done and the chances of a bin lorry fire or anyone noticing to send her a fine are very small. And all the telling OP to bash it with a hammer is silly - at least take the battery out if you're planning to do this. Aged lithium ion batteries are bad enough without damaging them on purpose, that will just make them even more unstable.

I remember there being a big hoo haa when this was first brought in about sex toys, because nobody wants to hand them over to someone at a recycling point. All the big sites at that point decreed that you could send your old toys to them in the post to save embarrassment and receive a voucher for a new one in exchange

🤣hadn't gotten around to thinking about that yet

I guess this is also applicable to my kegel machine marvellous

Do you never go in in a supermarket, have you never seen the large containers for battery recycling? They always have batteries I

Of course people recycle them, in my area you can even put them out with the regular recycling, it's a bit knobbish not to bother when it so easy

No I have literally never seen this

Not saying they don't exist but I have never seen one ever

There’s no where in my village to recycle anything apart from plastic/tins/glass & papers which a lorry comes round and collects

You're an idiot.
The chemicals will leach into the ground, might poison ground water reservoirs. Irresponsible and pathetic.

Wow! Honestly I had no idea and throw regular batteries away fairly regularly. Definitely will make an effort to remember not to moving forward. Am surprised this isn’t more widely shared though - my wheelie bin says ‘no hot ashes’ on it but no mention of batteries!

So you never leave your village, or know anyone who leaves your village, or anyone else who could help who visits supermarkets/libraries/pharmacies? If you have no physical way of recycling your batteries and no way of finding anyone to help you then please call your council and they will advise. Surely this is obvious though?

Talking of kegels. I do enjoy the acronym for "Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment" though

All distributors must:

• offer free takeback on WEEE
• accept WEEE for free from customers supplied with like-for-like products, regardless of whether this is done in store, online or by mail order
• retain a record of all WEEE taken back for at least four years
• provide customers access to written information on the service provided and what they should do with their WEEE

The gnashing of teeth came from the glibness of the OP - it is fairly annoying when someone receives information and just goes: Tra la la, I'm still not doing it.

Yes and a sign on bags of peanuts stating that they contain peanuts.

😂😂😂

perhaps @Pavementworrier could now atone for his or her ( i did laugh out loud when i saw a PP ask if this was a man) sins by making a poster to explain the dangers/ stupidity of tossing batteries & electricals in the normal bin, and sticking it up next to their big communal bins, just in case anyone else who uses them is as clueless?

For anyone else claiming not to have known about this being a problem up till now (despite living in the same world as the rest of us, being literate and having access to the internet), why not use this new year as a chance to learn & change what YOU do in future?!

And if you know anyone who uses vapes, please make sure they understand why they need to be disposed of properly too...

Local authorities can issue fixed penalties of up to £400 for breaches of waste bin rules under Section 46A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

I can only assume from this thread that you’re extremely unobservant.

We’ve just had a reminder re waste disposal from our council - apparently we had 6 bin lorry fires last year from electrical items in our council area alone. However they do collect batteries - we just need to put them in a small clear plastic bag on top of the wheely bin when we put it out for collection. And small electrical items in carrier bags will also be taken.

Croydon

I'm shocked at the fact that in 2026, someone doesn't know about the correct disposal of batteries, and the thinly veiled glee behind the OP's posts is disconcerting.

Thinly? I would say a layer of gloss!

Im not sure what I can say to that other than you must be supremely unaware unless you never actually go into shops

As pretty much every other poster has said you are very unreasonable not to know that battery recycling is a thing

U and people like u are why is wrong with the world. Not a bit of fucks given for the Earth, the environment or the people and animals in it x

We can put batteries in a small bag next to our bin and they get collected by the bin men.
All very easy.
Maybe check if you can do the same.