You are in the process of disposing of a large group of older laptops, but you’re not sure how to dispose of the batteries. What’s your next step for the disposal of these laptop batteries?
A) Throw all laptop batteries and components with the normal garbage.
B) Return all batteries to the laptop manufacturer.
C) The batteries cannot be disposed of. Keep them in storage indefinitely.
D) Check the Material Safety Data Sheet for information on how to dispose of all hazardous chemicals.
Answer: D) Check the Material Safety Data Sheet for information on how to dispose of all hazardous chemicals.
In the United States, the manufacturer of the laptop is required to include an MSDS for all hazardous chemicals shipped with the equipment, including those found in the batteries. Refer to your system documentation or the manufacturer’s web site to view the original Material Safety Data Sheets. Most batteries can be taken to a local hazardous materials facility that also takes paints, oils, and other materials that would cause problems in normal landfills.
The incorrect answers:
A) Throw all laptop batteries and components with the normal garbage.
Batteries contain chemicals that can be hazardous if thrown away with normal refuse. Don’t do this!
B) Return all batteries to the laptop manufacturer.
The manufacturer of the hardware won’t accept the used batteries, which is why they include specific information on how to properly dispose of the batteries.
C) The batteries cannot be disposed of. Keep them in storage indefinitely.
Could you imagine how many batteries would be stacked up if this were true? Fortunately, the MSDS will tell you exactly how to dispose of the batteries.
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Want to know more? Watch “Managing Safety Hazards.”As technology professionals, we occasionally have to operate in environments where safety hazards may exist. In this module, we’ll show you how to avoid problems with high voltage computer equipment and environmental hazards, and we’ll discuss the best ways to dispose of hazardous materials. More importantly, we’ll show you how to handle accident situations that might occur when working in our high-tech environments. |