Like title says I have about 400 modules that either has a dead module, some physical damage, or capacity less than 3000 mAh. I rebuild batteries for most of the Toyota and Lexus (prius, camry, highlanders and etc.) cars and I've saved up quite a few of this modules. Question is is there anywhere I can sell them? Even if it's $0.5-1 per piece. If not, where can i dispose them for free? @TMR-JWAP @strawbrad @ericbecky I'm sure you know something about it. I'm in Chicago, IL.
You'll need to pay someone to properly dispose of them. If you we're dealing with a certified battery broker, seller, They are require by law to take 1:1 trade for every module they sold you. Hope this helps....
Well... It's gonna take a while but what I did is use the battery recycling drop off bins at Home Depot and Lowe's and every time I went shopping there I put the amount of modules that can fit through the hole in one drop. I suspect if you took in too many at once they'd argue their bin for NiMH battery recycling is for power tools not vehicle batteries, so keep a low profile and only do small amounts. Alternatively, you can put 28 of them at a time in someone's core so they can get their $1350 core deposit back with junk batteries to be recycled rather than ones that are still viable. Lastly, the companies that recycle hybrid batteries from wrecking yards have truck that drive around loading these up. If you could track down one of those trucks, the driver might be willing to take them off your hands.
The laws are different in every state... The laws are also changing as we learn more too... For example in California NiMH was once classified as toxic waste. But then as time went by they realized NiMH isn't as toxic as they first thought and downgraded the waste stream rules that you're mentioning. OP needs to research what's possible in Illinois. This website might help: Recycling Laws By State –
Illinois usually follows California environmental and waste standards. I've lived there a few years; though I don't keep up with the ever changing rules there.
Not sure how true this is, but I heard from one guy that is also a battery rebuilder, that Green Bean or Green Tech does accept this modules, and on top of that they paid him something like $0.50 for each.
If they do that; I'd truck the entire stack over to them. Might be able to cover gas cost and then some. They're probably hoping to rejuvenate a few modules, running it through their battery tester. My old facility had a commercial eight bank unit that me and another guy would occasionally use to rehab. modules - when a bank was free. We'd hook it up on Friday night and hope it doesn't error out, when we returned Monday morning.
Most home Depot people wouldn't know what you were dropping in there Just tell them it goes to one of their old welders. And the other thing you do well the North Carolina you just take him to the dump which there's one in every county and you're going to electronics recycling section and you can drop racks of 28 all you like in there no problem easy I'm sure most other states are the same they don't care about the fans in the metal covers but if you've got 400 modules I bet you can take them right to recycling and there won't be any problem or charge I wouldn't think.
Rebuilders are always eager to buy old packs, usually $200 or so per core, but we're talking about failed cells that can't be used... Though I remember professor Joe had saved up thousands of failed modules over near a decade and he sold them right when the price of Nickel had peaked on the tail end of the pandemic. He made alot more than he thought he'd make.
I buy cores for $200-300 from junkyards as well. As for this modules, i can't use them nor sell them, that's why I'm looking around for other options. About Professor Joe, are you aware what exactly he did with them? Are we talking about, apparent capacity loss (that can be restored by cycles) or something else, like drilling and restoring electrolyte in one of the cells?
No... Just a high volume battery rebuilder that sat on all his failed modules for close to a decade until the pile was a giant truck load and then sold it direct to a metal recycler capable of extracting the metals in it. You're welcome to reach out to Joe and get contact info for the buyer if you want, but I'm willing to bet they aren't going to be interested in buying anything less than a full truck load in the thousands of modules because it wouldn't be efficient to buy in small amounts of hundreds of modules.
Call GreenTec They'll likely have you deliver them to the Illinois location for recycling. Depending on the market, you may have to pay to get rid of them. Hopefully they can at least take them for free. I wouldn't count on getting paid anything.
Would be handy if there was a way to connect somehow with people investing in new batteries from dealerships so that your old modules can be used for the core charge refund @Kris_Parker
