The modern world abounds with technological marvels, and each year we are gifted with the best Android phones and tablets companies have to offer. From the ubiquitous remote control to the ostentatious hoverboard, there's no end to the wonders wrought by science. But inside every bit of portable electronics is a humble battery, powering the devices that smooth over the speed bumps of our quotidian lives.

But what happens when those batteries run out of power or can no longer be recharged? Is it okay to throw them away in the trash? Depending on the battery, there are different disposal methods you should consider.

What's the law for battery disposal?

Depending on where you live, the battery disposal law can change. For example, If you live in California, the answer is always no — you can't throw out batteries in the trash. It doesn't matter if you're using AAAs for your Roku remote or throwing out the last digital camera you bought before you got your first cellphone. However, if you live somewhere else, you'll have to look into what your state or country requires.

Some states, like Washington and Georgia, don't have laws regulating the disposal or recycling of household batteries. States like Virginia and Florida regulate the disposal of nickel-cadmium batteries (cadmium is worse than lead if ingested), while other states are stricter. Minnesota mandates that all rechargeable batteries are recycled. New York takes it a step further and requires any store that sells batteries to have a collection program for used batteries.

Finding a recycling center shouldn't be hard, regardless of where you live. Every Home Depot in the U.S. has a recycling station where you can deposit your used batteries, and you can check out several websites that can give more comprehensive information on recycling availability in your area.

How to recycle alkaline batteries

Most of us are probably familiar with the single-use batteries that come in letter-coded sizes like AA and C. Most of these are alkaline batteries sold by the likes of Duracell and Energizer, and they're used for things like flashlights or your vintage Game Boy. These batteries are generally fine to throw away with regular trash. They used to be made with mercury, which is a bummer if it gets into the water supply, but that hasn't been the case since 1996.

If you decide to recycle them, you can drop them off at a recycling center without any special precautions.

How to recycle lithium batteries

It's important to pay attention to what's on your battery's label. Not all AAs are made the same. It's not uncommon to find single-use and rechargeable household batteries made with lithium, which should be recycled. It's not that lithium is particularly toxic when disposed of (although it's bad when it's mined). Lithium is considered a critical mineral resource; there's only so much of it to go around, and from an economic and geopolitical standpoint, it's better to reuse it than let it go to waste.

Lithium batteries are probably the most diverse type of battery on the market. In addition to the common AAA to D batteries, they're used in the single-use, button-cell batteries that power wristwatches and the rechargeable batteries that breathe digital life into our smartphones and other portable electronics. Because of their diversity, the only way to know whether a battery is lithium based is to check the label. Look for "Li," "Li-Ion," or "Li-Po" somewhere on the battery's label.

Disposing of lithium batteries is a bit trickier than run-of-the-mill alkaline batteries. If the terminals of lithium batteries come in contact with metal, they could catch fire, which this is why lithium batteries aren't allowed in checked luggage for the most part. To mitigate this risk, the EPA recommends that the terminals be covered with a non-conductive tape and that each battery be placed in its own plastic bag.

How to recycle nickel-cadmium batteries

Similar to lithium-based batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries are commonly used to make rechargeable batteries, both in common sizes like 9V and AAA, and purpose-built designs for portable electronics like cordless phones and camcorders. The disposal process for Ni-Cad batteries is the same as that for lithium batteries; cover the terminal and keep them separate.

Neither nickel nor cadmium is considered a critical resource like lithium is, but it's still best to make sure these batteries are recycled. Cadmium toxicity is terrible and can lead to a host of conditions that can permanently affect your health. Making sure these batteries are recycled helps ensure they don't end up in a dump, slowly leeching into the water table.

Can you recycle non-removable batteries?

As much as we may want to do the environmentally responsible thing by recycling batteries, sometimes it's just not possible. For the past decade, one of the prevailing trends in electronics has been forced obsolescence. When it comes to batteries, this means that the end users—us—aren't supposed to replace our device batteries. In some cases, it may be difficult to access it. If you can't access the battery of an old or unused device, it should be taken to an electronics recycler which should recycle the old battery. So, if you don't plan on selling your older device, you need to take it to an electronics recycler.

Going green with tech

As long as we have tech, we're going to need a power source. While it's easy to dispose of batteries properly, there are some other ways we can try to help the environment. No one will stop buying smartphones anytime soon, but if you want to do your part to keep down battery waste, it's a good idea to buy fewer batteries and fewer phones. So turn down your screen brightness, don't fast charge if you can help it, and maybe don't spend so much time on Reddit. And if you have a Samsung phone, we have some tips to extend your phone's battery life so you can keep it in great condition.