Batteries Act
The chemical contents of batteries may damage the environment and health if they are not stored and disposed of properly. Only through collection and recycling that is separate from the rest of the household waste can repercussions in regard to health and the environment be avoided. Batteries may also contain recyclable raw materials. Batteries may therefore not be disposed of in the regular household waste.
As an end user, you are obliged by law to return used old batteries (whether they are rechargeable or not) or dispose of them properly. For that purpose, you can deposit your old used batteries at the public collection points in your municipality or retail outlets free of charge (with a consignor you can return them to the warehouse). In that respect, depositing them at retail outlets is, for end users, limited to the usual quantities and those old batteries that the distributor keeps or kept in its range.
The sign with the crossed-out dustbin means that you may not put batteries in the household waste, due to their toxicity.
In addition, you can see the following icons underneath this sign, which have the following meaning:
Pb: Battery contains lead
Cd: Battery contains cadmium
Hg: Battery contains mercury