Hear and There

The Time has come for Rechargeable Cells
And Rechargeable Hearing Aids


Rechargeable hearing aid cells and “rechargeable hearing aids’ are coming of age for economic and ecological reasons. Economically, rechargeable hearing aid cells can be recharged between 300-400 times reducing the operational cost of wearing hearing aids. The hearing impaired in third world countries and the poor in our own country who are not eligible for social programs that supply batteries may find it difficult to afford the cost of disposable batteries. Ecologically, rechargeable batteries reduce substantially the wastes, costs and toxicity involved with the manufacture, distribution and disposal of non- rechargeable cells.

The economics of rechargeable hearing aid batteries are simple. All that is needed to use nickel metal hydride hearing aid cells is a charger. Chargers range in price on the retail level from about $50.00. The chargers can be powered by A/C, long lasting lithium batteries (AA or AAA), NiMh (nickel metal hydride) AA or solar power. Lithium and A/C chargers are generally used in First World countries and solar chargers in the Third World. Enclosed rechargeable cells in hearing aids have been produced minimally by domestic manufacturers for years. We are now seeing several international manufacturers introduce “rechargeable hearing aids” to their product lines.

Rechargeable hearing aid cells and “rechargeable hearing aids” are becoming more of an economic necessity as manufacturers continue to add processing benefits to their instruments. The increased drainage brought about by this processing shortens the usable life of zinc-air cells necessitating greater consumer expenditures and anxiety brought about by short battery life. I doubt that there is a dispenser who has not had to explain why hearing aid batteries have such a short life. Indeed, because of the relatively short useful life of zinc-air cells many dispensers find themselves in the position of giving batteries free of charge to quell client indignation or including up to three years worth of free batteries with hearing aid purchases.

Let us assume that a hearing aid user has two hearing aids that require #13 cells, that disposable cells last an average of two weeks and that the disposable cells cost $4.00 for a package of 4. This means that over a three year period (156 weeks) the user’s expenditure would be $156.00 plus possible sales tax, shipping charges or transportation. The cost for rechargeable hearing aid cells for the same period would be less than $20.00.

Every marketed manufactured product has four associated costs. They are initial price, operational cost, maintenance cost and disposal cost. The hearing aid industry as a whole is passing along to consumers not only high operational costs but high maintenance costs as well because of hearing aid failure associated with disposable batteries. American society as a whole and certainly not willingly, is assuming their disposal cost.

Ecologically, disposable hear aid cells contribute not only to increased refuse but waste of resources and other materials as well. If we use the same example as above where a hearing aid user requires 2 cells every two weeks that means in a 3 year period the user would consume about 20 packages of 4 batteries compared to 1 (one) package of rechargeable cells. Eighty cells have to be manufactured, 20 extra cards have to be manufactured and printed, 20 extra cards that have plastic wheels, tabs placed on each cell, that they be packaged in plastic boxes, boxed in cartons and shipped. This process unnecessarily consumes resources and electricity during manufacture and fossil fuels as well during the entire distribution process.

In a Seattle Times article of April 7th 2007 titled “Recharge, recycle, resolve to reduce battery discards” by Tom Watson the author states “in a perfect green world all batteries would be rechargeable.” According to Rayovac less than 5% of all batteries sold in the U.S. are rechargeable. Watson goes on to state “Most disposable button batteries, on the other hand contain added mercury. These include watch, hearing aid and digital thermometer batteries. It is illegal in King County (Seattle) to place button cells in the garbage.” “Because of toxics they contain, energy used to make and transport them, and disposal issues, the 3 billion dry-cell batteries used by Americans each year can be more negative than positive for the environment.”

To read this article in its entirety, go to www.seattletimes.com and in the search function type in “archives.” The article will be found under the April 7, 2007 date.

The use of rechargeable hearing aid batteries does not involve a major paradigm shift for many present users of hearing aids. Many users of hearing aids probably use rechargeable devices now. Such devices include cell phones, PDAs, laptops and so forth. People who are fit with hearing aids for the first time, that can use rechargeable batteries, would welcome the lower cost of operation that rechargeable technology affords them.

There are no dexterity issues with rechargeable hearing aid batteries. All rechargeable cells have the same dimensions as disposable cells. It is easier to use a charger than it is to put a cell into a battery door. Patients that are physically challenged, possibly because of low vision, strokes, peripheral neuropathy, etc., have more options now than previously. Rechargeable hearing aids (BTE and ITE) are available from a variety of manufacturers. It is easier to place a whole hearing aid in a charger than to continuously replace disposable cells.

In addition, a patient using rechargeable batteries would never have to be concerned about not having batteries at hand. All chargers have the capacity to charge two batteries simultaneously and in many cases the batteries can be recharged in about 3 hours. Worst case scenarios include having either an extra charged battery or batteries on hand or a package of disposables available.


Every manufactured product has a cycle. Batteries used to power hearing aids have changed over the years. Each successive innovation has had a beneficial effect on hearing aids and subsequently on the market for hearing aids. Rechargeable batteries and rechargeable hearing aids can be viewed as either a sustaining innovation (continuous product improvement) or as a disruptive market innovation. History has shown that as improvements in products continue there is greater adaptation of those products by the public. Product innovations bring down barriers to usage by reducing costs, increasing convenience, increasing utilization and increasing satisfaction. Disruptive innovations usually begin at the low end of the market and in time, further their reach up market, as the disruptive products gain acceptance. Disruptive products then begin their own product cycles.

Regardless of how history views rechargeable innovations, dispensers presently have a window of opportunity to not only differentiate their practices but to position themselves differently from the competition. In addition, by furthering the rechargeable paradigm, with the elimination of toxic disposable batteries from the environment, dispensers can begin the process of occupying previously unoccupied competitive space. In doing so they would not only continue to help their patients but further the concept of “thinking globally, but acting locally.”