RECYCLING SPOTLIGHT: BATTERIES

BATTERIES: Why batteries shouldn’t end up in landfills.

Key Reasons to Avoid Disposing Batteries in Landfills:

  • Toxic Chemical Leaching
  • Batteries contain harmful substances—like lead, cadmium, nickel, lithium, cobalt, mercury, and PFAS—that can seep into soil and water, contaminating ecosystems and possibly entering our food and water supplies
  • Fire & Explosion Hazards
  • Lithium-ion and other rechargeable batteries can ignite or explode if crushed or short-circuited—especially in trash compactors or landfill machinery—causing dangerous fires.
  • Air Pollution & Greenhouse Gases
  • Decomposing batteries can release toxic fumes and greenhouse gases, contributing both to air pollution and climate change
  • Resource Waste
  • Valuable materials inside batteries—like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper—are lost when landfilled instead of recycled
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Apr 27, 2026

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Apr 2, 2026

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Apr 2, 2026

RECYCLING SPOTLIGHT: THE 9% PLASTIC REALITY

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WEEMEYAKWE: COMING HOME -- CATAHECASSA'S 1816 VISIT TO EASTERN CLARK COUNTY, KENTUCKY

By A. Gwynn Henderson and David Pollack On September 7, 1816, readers skimming the Niles’ Weekly Register might have noticed a story about two groups of Shawnee men visiting central Kentucky. It appears on a page with a variety of national and international news: an accounting of how many immigrants had arrived in America, details […]

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CELEBRATING AMERICA RECYCLES DAY AT THE MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION RECYCLING EVENT!

On November 15, Shawnee Tribe’s Environmental Manager, Cindy Riley, participated in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s recycling event to explore new ways of collecting and processing materials—from electronics and batteries to tires, and many more items—and to bring those best practices back to our own tribal community. Key takeaways: Next steps: Together, we can grow our […]

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RECYCLING SPOTLIGHT: TINY BUT TOXIC - BUTTON BATTERIES

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WRAP UP: TEMPORARY EMERGENCY FOOD BENEFIT ASSISTANCE

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