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Alkaline batteries contain manganese dioxide, which is certainly not as bad as the rechargeable types but still is a health hazard in enough quantity. "Heavy duty" (zinc-carbon) has the same concern AFAIK

At least in nyc alkaline batteries do go in the normal trash.

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/harmful-produc...

> There is absolutely no reason why regular alkaline batteries can't end up in household garbage.

Years ago mercury was common in alkalines, they were banned in that use case in 1996: https://www.epa.gov/mercury/mercury-batteries The collection bins that were in my local grocery stores went away within a few years of that.

> The rules are basically like this because the regulators figured you're too dumb to know which types of batteries are bad for the environment

No everyone is as smart as you.

Not everyone cares as much as you.

Not everyone has the time or energy as you.

The rules are designed to solve the problem of hazardous and toxic battery chemistries with as little friction as possible.

Yep, and in my experience they just toss everything in the trash anyways.