Hear and THere

Hear and There
By Batteryjac.com

In the April 26, 2007 edition of Hearing Review’s Insider, the weekly online offering from the Hearing Review the first Quarter’s hearing aid sales statistics were shown by state. In total, sales for the private sector totaled just about 512,000 units indicating that the dispensing industry should have a turnover of just over 2 million units for all of 2007.

As good as the sales statistics seem for hearing aids there is however, a darker side to these sales figures. If we as an industry sell just over 2 million units for 2007 and if we assume that an average zinc-air battery has a usable life of about two weeks that means over 53 million cells containing toxic mercury will find their way via the trash to many landfills in the U.S. for each successive year after 2007. In a three year period that’s 159 million cells in addition to all the aids that remain in use for the years prior to and including the 2007 aids.

Below is the response we received to an e-mail requesting more information on zinc air cells from Tom Watson, project manager for King County’s Recycling and Environmental Services. Mr. Watson also writes a monthly column “The EcoConsumer” for the Seattle Times.

………………Sorry it has taken awhile for me to respond on this - I
have been out of the office.... Zinc-air hearing aid batteries do
contain added mercury. For details, see this Maine Department of
Environmental Protection report from March 2005:
http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/mercury/button_battery_report.htm

Here is a quote from page two of the main report text: "In button
batteries, small amounts of mercury still are used to prevent the
formation of gases. There are three separate button battery chemistries
that typically contain added mercury. These include the zinc air
batteries used mainly in hearing aids; silver oxide batteries, most of
which are used in watches and cameras; and alkaline manganese batteries
used in digital thermometers, calculators, toys and a myriad of other
products requiring a compact power source."

Hearing aid dispensers, because they first introduce hearing aid users to hearing aid batteries should also show their patients how to be environmentally responsible when it comes to battery disposal by having a container available for battery recycling. Patients could be reminded to drop off used cells when they come in for their periodic check-ups. Collection receptacles could also be placed in Senior Centers. You would then, in turn, send them to a recycling center. This could be a great way to attract business to your practice.

“Think global and act local.”

Additionally of course, you as a dispenser can make rechargeable hearing aid cells available to your customers showing that you are concerned with the environment and the cost of operating hearing aids. A package of 4 rechargeable hearing aid cells lasts 3-4 years. Rechargeable cells are nickel metal hydride and contain no toxic materials. The future must be green. Do your part.

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P.S. It’s illegal in Seattle to throw button cells into household trash for removal.