Almost half (49 per cent) of people in the UK have never recycled a household battery, new research has found.
Nearly the same percentage (45 per cent) were ignorant about where to take the recyclable materials, according to the poll from ERP.
This is despite a campaign by the UK government this year, and the launch of new EU legislation forcing the UK to commit to higher recycling rates.
The organisation has highlighted that sending batteries to landfill means valuable materials such as nickel, cadmium, mercury and lead are wasted.
By 2016, almost half (45 per cent) of the number of batteries bought and used annually will have to be recycled to fulfil EU targets.
Commenting on the findings, ERP's general manager Scott Butler said: "We're going to need everyone's help if the UK is to meet its challenging target of recycling a quarter of all batteries by 2012.
"Wherever you live, there's a local collection point near you. So don't bin them – find out where your nearest battery box is and recycle them."
The research follows on a report today from Sainsbury's Finance which found that people are planning to spend £560 million on electricals in the week leading up to Christmas.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the recycling industry includes; elevators – bucket elevators – valves
