When your car battery finally gives up, you probably don't think much about what happens after you hand it over at O'Reilly Auto Parts. You get your core charge back, or possibly a gift card, and the dead battery disappears behind the counter.
But that battery is not simply thrown away. O'Reilly has a specific collection and handling process, and the old lead-acid battery eventually makes its way to a specialized recycling operation. From there, its lead, plastic, and electrolyte can be separated and recovered for another use.
