Rechargeable Batteries Canada

Lithium batteries are often confused with Lithium-ion batteries due to their similar names.  But make no mistake, they are very different batteries.  Lithium batteries cannot be charged* and you will not find me discussing them much on this site, as it is aimed towards rechargeable batteries.  I mention them only as an attempt to clear up any confusion readers may have.

Lithium batteries are the ideal choice for smoke alarms as they last upwards of 10 years.
Though you should still test them regularly!

Lithium batteries do excel in certain situations and though they are not rechargeable I would recommend that you use no other battery than a 9V lithium in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors as you can easily obtain 5-10 years from one battery.

You should also consider the fact that lithium batteries are toxic and cannot be disposed of in your garbage.  Find out when your municpal drop off times and locations are in order to ensure that they end up at a hazardous waste facility and not your local dump. I recommend RecycleYourElectronics.ca as a resource for finding out such information.

*In some cases, such as with the coin sized CR2016 and CR2032 lithium batteries, you can recharge them.  However with standard 9v, AA, AAA, C and D cells this is not an option