Summary:

Galvanic batteries and electric batteries which occur in large and smallsize forms are among the products which once run down become hazardous wastes, dangerous for the environment and human health. Constructed of highly processed materials, they contain harmful substances, such as lead, cadmium or mercury. Management of waste batteries is especially difficult due to the fact that they are present as sources of electricity in a variety of appliances used in many spheres of life. It leads to a considerable dispersion of places where wastes are generated and processed. A commonly used practice involves penetration of wastes, such as batteries and vehicle batteries, particularly small-size ones, into the municipal solid waste stream leading to their deposition on municipal landfills. It results in the extraction of hazardous substances by precipitation waters filtrating the soil mass into the underground waters leading to their dangerous contamination. On the other hand these wastes can be valuable secondary materials. Recycled they may provide the resources protecting natural deposits. Currently there are three main groups of chemical sources of electricity, used in almost all spheres of life: a) primary batteries and remaining secondary batteries, b) nickelcadmium, large and small-sized vehicle batteries, c) lead-acid vehicle batteries. The fact that batteries are usually added to purchased electronic devices and their prices are low, causes a mass production of these wastes. Moreover, there are no restrictions or benefits out of the exchange of small-sized batteries, so they are dumped to the municipal solid waste stream in large quantities. The investigations aimed at assessing the state of waste management with respect to used power cells. On the basis of conducted surveys the Authors concluded about the social awareness concerning the hazards of improper management of used batteries, their potential recycling, collection points, possibilities of exchange or use of substitutes.