car tires Archives

10 things that are illegal to throw away — How to safely dispose of them instead

We’ve long been conditioned to separate our recyclables from regular trash and sort plastics, paper and more. But some items don’t belong in your recycle bin or your trashcan.

Many items you use every day have their own methods of safe disposal. Here are some everyday things and their proper way of disposal.

1. Household batteries

Batteries can be broken down into two broad categories: Single-use and rechargeable. Read on for examples of each and links to recycling or waste disposal resources.

Disposable

Standard alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, 9 volts) that power your remote control, flashlight, clocks and other common household items can usually be thrown away in the trash. But check with local battery recyclers or state solid waste authorities to be safe.
Button cell or coin batteries, which you’ll find in calculators, watches, hearing aids and car key fobs, can contain silver and mercury and should not be thrown away in the trash. They can be brought to battery recyclers or participating retailers that provide battery takeback services.

Rechargeable

Lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium batteries are most commonly found in cellphones, laptops, tablets, digital cameras, power tools and smart toys. These batteries should never be tossed in the trash or recycle bin. They must be taken to separate recycling or household hazardous waste (HHW) collection centers.
Small sealed lead acid batteries are found in emergency devices, security systems, mobility scooters and other special-use items. These also need to be taken to special disposal centers.

To find more recycling and disposal information, go to this resource page at Earth911. Simply select the type of battery from the left drop-down menu, enter your ZIP code and you’ll get local solutions. Note that stores like Staples, Home Depot and Best Buy have battery dropoff programs.

2. Car batteries

Car batteries contain lead and acid, a severe environmental risk to humans and animals.

If you replace your battery at an auto shop, they should take the old one and dispose of it for you. This is the law in some jurisdictions and applies to retailers who sell car batteries, even if they don’t sell you one or install one for you.

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7 things you should never throw away (or you could be in legal trouble)

By now, we all know how to separate trash from recyclables.

But what about the other things we no longer need? The answer is no if you’re holding an old bottle of medication. Tap or click here to check if any of your meds have been recalled.

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Garage must: Best tire inflator

When your car’s tires are low, you risk lower gas mileage, wobbly steering and blowouts. An at-home air compressor beats going to the gas station — and you can use it on basketballs, pool floats and lots more.

No buying junk around here. I went digging for the best at two price points.

💲💲 Upgrade: This portable cordless pump is a whopping 30% off now ($62.99). It has a digital display, rechargeable battery, and chargers that work at home or in your car’s cigarette outlet. Its handheld, cordless design makes it a cinch to inflate car tires (it can inflate a fully flat tire in three minutes) or bring it inside for midnight air mattress fill-ups.

💲 Budget: This corded compressor is half the price of a battery-powered model. I found a highly-rated model on sale for $31.98 (30% off). Plug it into either a home outlet or your car’s cigarette outlet and get to pumping. It inflates an average car tire in under four minutes and has a digital display and built-in light.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

It’s gaining traction: Pirelli and Bosch have teamed up to create a “cyber tire” loaded with sensors to track the temp, pressure and road conditions so your car can adjust instantly. What a plus for hydroplaning (when tires lose grip on wet roads). Someday, these tires will talk to other tires to warn them about road conditions. Can you imagine? “Hey, watch out for the pothole!”