There are the standard alkaline batteries we’ve used for years. There are rechargables that supposedly last for 50 or more charges (but they don’t) and are supposed to help reduce the number of batteries that end up in landfills. In the U.S. alone, some 3 billion batteries get dumped in landfills. EarthCell batteries hope to change all that.

EarthCell are low self-discharge, disposable nickel metal hydride (LSD NiMH) batteries that are supposed to have a longer shelf-life than NiMH batteries and run longer than alkalines.

The company is committed to cleaning up the battery industry.When these new batteries lose their charge, consumers can simply mail them back in a pre-paid mailer for the company to test out. Since the batteries can be recharged multiple times, if they’re still good, they’ll be “revitalized” and resold. If they’re really used up, they’ll be dismantled and used to create new batteries.

I wonder if we’re missing something. Why would the company resell them, rather than returning them to the consumer to reuse, even if it’s for a small fee? Or is it a case of consumer laziness (a common “disease” these days) and wanting to get rid of something rather than try to reuse it? Still, the concept is a good one. They’re definitely worth checking out