Renata SA Safety Guidelines - Manual (Page 7)

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the swiss power source
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Disposal of used batteries
Safety Guidelines
General Guidelines
The disposal of used batteries is governed by law
in many countries world-wide. Therefore, please
check your local regulations prior to battery
disposal.
Safety Precautions for disposal of used
batteries.
Safety precautions for the handling and
storage of used lithium batteries.
Although environmentally friendly and free of
harmful substances, lithium batteries are a
powerful energy source and require some caution
even if almost fully discharged. When disposing of
large quantities of lithium coin cells it is necessary
to take certain safety measures in order to avoid
heat generation and the danger of fire due to
mass short-circuiting:
1. The number of lithium coin cells to being
disposed of and placed in the same container
during a day should be limited (if possible less
than 100 pieces per day).
2. The container for disposal should be made
of metal (small steel drums are quite suitable), not
exceed a volume of 10 liters, be closed with a
cover and have air holes in the upper area of the
side walls.
3. For the storage of these containers, the follo-
wing safety rules should be observed:
• Containers to be stored outdoors, protected
from rain, at least 2 - 3 meters away from buil-
dings.
• Distance between containers at least 1 meter.
• Storage area not accessible to unauthorized
persons.
4. It is recommended to mix the batteries in the
containers daily for one week in order to ensure
complete discharge and prevent the battery waste
from heating up at a later stage.
As indicated above, these safety measures are
only necessary if relatively large quantities of
lithium batteries must be disposed of at the same
time. In the retail/consumer trade, where only
single batteries are changed and used batteries of
different kinds are mixed together, there is no risk
of battery waste heating up dangerously.