Do you ever worry about the impact all those used hearing aid batteries have on our earth?  In the past, the amounts of mercury and lead in these tiny objects posed great threats to the environment and recycling was often difficult to execute.  However, battery manufacturers have recently made great strides to reduce hearing aid batteries’ risk to both humans and the environment.

A few of the major hearing aid manufacturers, Siemens and ReSound in particular, now offer some hearing aids that utilize rechargeable batteries.  Now, you can “plug” your hearing aids in to charge every night along with your cell phone!  These batteries last approximately one to two years before requiring replacement.

Just  a few more battery care reminders:

1. Do not remove the tab from your batteries until you are going to use them.  As soon the tab is removed, oxygen permeates the cell and there’s no going back.

2. Do not keep loose batteries in your purse or anywhere they can come in contact with other metals.

3. Keep batteries away from fire or heat (i.e. glove compartments on a hot summer day).

4. Make sure you turn your hearing aids off at night to conserve your batteries.  Remember, after the tab has been removed the battery continues to drain even when your hearing aids are turned off, just at a lower rate than when turned on.  That means that if you set your hearing aid aside for a month (nobody does that, do they?), the battery will most likely be dead when you try to use it later.

5. Store hearing aid batteries at room temperature in a dry place, not the refrigerator.

It’s so wonderful to see these new technologies come to market to help our planet and home.  It’s even more wonderful when it helps make our lives richer through better hearing!