Watertown Audiology P.C. is accepting hearing aid batteries for recycling, accoring to president and owner Dr. Sarah Grimshaw-Sugden, audiologist.
Hearing aid batteries may contain zinc, mercury or mercuric oxide. The danger of throwing them into the garbage is that the batteries end up in landfills and as they decay, can leach harmful chemicals into the environment.
Hearing aid users typically need a fresh battery every 7 to 14 days per device. A person using two hearing aids could go through more than 100 batteries a year.
All hearing aid users are invited to drop off their used batteries for recycling, regardless of where they purchased their hearing aids, at Watertown Audiology, Suite 202, Woodruff Professional Building, 53-59 Public Square, Watertown. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday.
The program is free, and for every 20 hearing aid batteries brought in to be recycled, a person will receive a free six-pack of batteries. There is a limit two free packages of batteries per person, per month.
Watertown Audiology will recycle the batteries through the Jefferson County Recycling Center.
For more information about the hearing aid battery recycling program, call Watertown Audiology at 786-3225.
Article source: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20120904/CURR04/709049989