New rechargeable batteries meet environmental needs

A rechargeable battery that could save money, time and which meets future environmental laws has been launched by a UK company.

The Moixa USB Cell battery can be recharged simply by plugging it into a PC's USB port.

Currently gadget-mad Britons spend nearly £5m a week on batteries for their gadgets and gizmos. Many of these are single-use alkaline batteries, but there is also a huge market for rechargeables for high-power devices such as digital cameras.

However, responsible battery disposal has proved to be a real headache. Although the more toxic nickel cadmium (NiCad) rechargeable batteries are being phased out and will be banned under the forthcoming European Union battery directive , many consumers either hoard batteries of all types or dump them in their normal household rubbish.

Although local councils are charged with collection and disposal, the European Union estimates around half (80,000 tonnes) of the 160,000 tonnes of batteries, both single use and rechargeable, that are used each year end up in landfill or even being incinerated.

The Moixa USB cell is a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery with green credentials. Like other NiMH batteries it can be recharged upwards of 500 times to give the consumer the cost savings over single-use alkaline batteries; but it has a significant difference.

It comes with a USB adapter built into the top. Users can just plug it in to an ordinary PC or notebook USB port to recharge.

This means it doesn’t have to use a separate charger. As well as saving consumers money over single-use batteries, Kevin Brigden, a Greenpeace representative at the University of Exeter, said the batteries could save energy.

This is because many charging devices are left plugged in, consuming power even when not charging batteries.

The batteries won't impact on the PC's performance. As the battery only draws power it does not disturb the operating system. An LED on the battery shows when it is charged.

However, if people want to, the batteries can be recharged in an ordinary recharging device.

The only possible drawback for consumers is that the design comes at the cost of some charge capacity; the batteries only hold around half that of ordinary rechargeable batteries.

This shouldn't be a real problem thought as the batteries can be topped up for continued use within minutes by plugging into any USB socket. A full charge takes around five hours.

The battery should meet the forthcoming EU battery directive, which is expected to come into force in 2008, and meets the current Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive .

Simon Daniel of Moixa said that to meet other environmental concerns, the company would be making the plastic top of the battery from recyclable plastic in the near future.

It will also help EU goals to reduce the tonnage of batteries ending up in landfill now. Simon Daniel said the company would recycle batteries now if they are returned at the end of their life.

Recycling details are included on the battery packaging and the product website marked on the battery itself.

The batteries will go on sale in high street and online at the Moixa USB cell website. More information on recycling can also be found on the site.

Currently only AA batteries are available costing £13 for a pack of two. Moxia will be producing a full range of other types soon.