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crime

Kyoto man arrested for throwing large plastic bottles full of batteries into canal

49 Comments
By SoraNews24

Battery disposal is always tricky business. There are so many different kinds and they tend to be made of metal, which would suggest some recycling is in order, but on the other hand, they also tend to be full of all kinds of potentially hazardous chemicals that could make them unsuitable for that or even regular disposal.

It’s always best to consult with your local waste management service to learn the best and safest way to deal with dead batteries. One thing they will certainly not advise is putting them in plastic soft drink bottles and chucking them in canals, and yet that’s what one 23-year-old man in Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture decided to do.

At about 4:30 a.m. on July 5, the suspect was spotted throwing a 1.5-liter plastic drink bottle filled with AA batteries in an agricultural canal. Police arrested him on suspicion of violating the Waste Management Law. The authorities also suspect he is responsible for 20 other bottles, filled with about 100 batteries each, found in the same canal since May of this year.

▼ A news report showing the discarded bottles and canal

During questioning, the suspect said that he was using a mobile phone charger that ran on AA batteries and was burning through 40 to 50 a day to keep his phone working. He also said that he had trouble disposing of them at home because he wasn’t sure how to do it.

While police figure out what to do with this industrial strength litterbug, readers of the news online were left wondering what this guy was up to that could possibly result in this situation.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“He’s never near an outlet?”

“I remember going through a whole bunch of AAs with my Game Boy.”

“Is his home prone to blackouts?”

“He didn’t seem to think this through very well.”

“This person seems very reluctant to learn new things.”

“I wonder what game he was playing on his phone.”

“How much money was he going through?”

“Even if he buys batteries for 100 yen, it still horrible cost performance.”

In Japan AA batteries are widely sold in 100-yen shops, sometimes in packs of up to 12 for just 110 yen. However, as you can probably imagine, they usually aren’t the highest quality and tend to die quickly. This might explain why the suspect was going through them so quickly, when he might actually spent less money if he’d bought more expensive ones that last longer.

Besides all that, there are also portable charger rental services widely available all over Japan these days that would be a fraction of the cost this guy was paying, and completely eliminate the chances of resorting to criminal activity.

Source: MBS NewsHachima Kiko

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

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-- Security guard arrested in Shizuoka for abandoning 13 liters of urine at pachinko parlor

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

49 Comments
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he had trouble disposing of them at home because he wasn’t sure how to do it.

Yeah, so just bottle them up and throw them in the river. What a loser!

20 ( +22 / -2 )

Batteries are Non Burnable trash and and it is collected twice a month, there is NO excuse for anyone to trash it any other way.

22 ( +23 / -1 )

A scumbag

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Charge for battery in the first degree

9 ( +11 / -2 )

I wonder why no name nor current employment information was given like in most articles like this.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

How does anyone not know how to dispose of batteries...in Japan? City hall inundates us annually with info about trash disposal.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

During questioning, the suspect said that he was using a mobile phone charger that ran on AA batteries and was burning through 40 to 50 a day to keep his phone working.

I’ve owned a cell phone of some kind for over 20 years now. I don’t ever recall using a battery powered charger for HOME use.

Sure they sell them for portable purposes, but what was this fool doing?

One can only assume that he lost his regular home charger at some point and didn’t know what to do.

Clearly he wasn’t calling people to go hang out, what was he doing all day that he needed 40-50 batteries to charge it? Lol

Po………….ub?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

He’s obviously running on little to no juice himself.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Buy a rechargeable mobile battery pack, you tool! For half of the one day's worth of batteries he's buying and using he could get one that lasts much of the day and can be recharged. The batteries he's using are not the cheapies... a four-pack can cost up to ¥800. So, do the math -- almost ¥10,000 a day.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Do people not take old batteries to sporting events anymore? My, how the world has changed since I was a kid.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@Taki Mara. Thanks for the clarification!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

He was not concerned about the cumulative cost of the batteries because they were most likely shop-lifted...

0 ( +3 / -3 )

The guy never heard about rechargable batteries?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Super easy to get rid of batteries in Japan.

You could either one, throw them away in either your burnable or non burnable garbage.

Or two, do the responsible thing and put them out on the designated dates, usually twice a month.

But nope. Gotta go dump them into a river.

Whoop his behind with a good fine he doesn't forget.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I wonder why no name nor current employment information was given like in most articles like this.

Does the guy desserve to have the rest of his life destroyed because he did a silly thing?

I think the problem it that his IQ is probably closer to 70 than 130.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The ingredients in alkaline batteries can wreak havoc on the environment and sicken humans. (Cadmium poisoning is no fun, believe me.) Whatever else he's charged or fined, he should be prohibited from purchasing batteries, permanently,

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Assault and battery of our waterways.

Batteries can be collected for recycling on specific days.

smithinjapan

Buy a rechargeable mobile battery pack, you tool! For half of the one day's worth of batteries he's buying and using he could get one that lasts much of the day and can be recharged. The batteries he's using are not the cheapies... a four-pack can cost up to ¥800. So, do the math -- almost ¥10,000 a day.

I use both and the more you charge them the shorter the life. Did you forget about the ¥100 shops? A packet of 4 or 6 batteries, ¥100!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

To that level, we are talking about a mental health issue.

I never understood why non-rechargeable batteries are sold, since they are so environment killer. That is a part of serious soil contamination at global level. Even in Japan I had noticed batteries dumped in the street.

For your information, good rechargeable batteries could be reused up to 1000 times (let´s say 500 for sure, with 20% loss of capacity only).

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Recommend only e...loop, the only type of batteries that last way more than others and reliable, 100 times waste limitation compare to non rechargeable ones, for cost about a few hundred yens each.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Guess he does not know there are battery packs for phones. Charge it with a power outlet like the rest of us do.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

ive been using rechargeable batteries for the last 10yrs, throw away maybe 2 or 3 every year when they no longer take a charge, any parent with kids know they go through dozens of batteries every month with all the toys/ games they have. still got rechargeables 5yrs old that ive probably charges over 300 times still going strong, cant understand why people still using regular batteries, so much more expensive over the long term

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The guy may not be all there!

Even the most clueless Gaijin with zero Japanese ability candy get disposal information from the city office even in the most remote countryside town.

Standard alkaline and cadmium are generally picked up with unburnable once or twice a month.

Rechargeable Ni-MH and lithium may be different in each place.

My previous residence in a different Tokyo ward Ni-MH could go with Alkaline etc... Lithium were not picked up, Disposal sites at the ward office, big box electronic stores ( a certain big mobile phone service) and a once a year ward wide one day event with hundreds of drop off point for lithium batteries, car or motorcycle batteries, paints , solvents, etc...

My present ward only permits alkaline and cadmium disposable batteries. Ni-MH and lithium must be brought to drop off points in the main ward office and satellite offices.

But we have this guy that drives around collecting metals , lithium, lead, and Ni-MH batteries for free, he sells them to recycling centres.

Caution, if someone says they will take these things for a fee (other than the city) walk away, the are just going to illegally dump the stuff in the nearest empty lot they pass.

This guy told me he makes good money as the lithium, lead, Nickel and metals are in demand so no need to pay.

I changed my car battery ony own, ordered the new battery online.

I called a lead recycling facility they sent someone to pickup the old battery and paid me ¥1,000.

So just look around before just disposing certain types of batteries.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The local regulation says to put them in the non/burnable garbage. But I hope they come with a proper collection system for these things, as they are hazardous chemical waste.

Throwing them in a canal is wrong, anyway. FIne the heck out of this guy.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Jonathan Prin

Today 11:50 am JST

Recommend only e...loop, the only type of batteries that last way more than others and reliable, 100 times waste limitation compare to non rechargeable ones, for cost about a few hundred yens each.

They are great but expensive if you need a lot.

The advantage of e..loop is power retention.

Charge today and in a year they are still 90% full charge.

Now I use them in things like emergency equipment (flashlight, etc...) But I have things that are near daily use and need recharging daily after use.

No point in paying premium price for e..loop.

Get 24 AA or AAA for ¥2,400 have a massive 20 slot battery charger.

External security lights and store signage are all solar chargerged so again no need for high power retention as they get drained every night and charged the next day.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Battery chargers need attention. Only the same manufacturer of batteries at the same time. Pay attention to overheating which can cause fires. Chargers for other items, phones, and e-scooters have caused fires. Don't leave the chargers plugged in.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

wallace

Today 12:29 pm JST

Battery chargers need attention. Only the same manufacturer of batteries at the same time. Pay attention to overheating which can cause fires. Chargers for other items, phones, and e-scooters have caused fires. Don't leave the chargers plugged in.

This is not true, it is something spread by the manufacturers to keep you buy only their brands.

A good quantity smart charger with proper features including discharging and charging can charge any brand safely, heat detectors are built-in over charge protection, surcharge and surge protector all built-in.

Don't buy a ¥1,000 charger spend at least ¥3,000 on a small quality one or as in my case a 20 slot cost ¥6,000 on sale it can change NI-MH and Ni-Ca at the same time including 9v type. Regular Price ¥12,000 but then I need it for the business.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Stores sell little batteries for your listening devices all the time. Where are you supposed to conveniently dispose of them? If they are easily - and necessarily bought and sold - then they should be made easily disposed of.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

memoryfix

Today 12:49 pm JST

Stores sell little batteries for your listening devices all the time. Where are you supposed to conveniently dispose of them? If they are easily - and necessarily bought and sold - then they should be made easily disposed of.

As pointed out here by many, your standard Alkaline and cadmium batteries are usually picked up once or twice a month with oth non burnable.

If someone cannot wait a few days or at most a few weeks to dispose of these things properly then they should be barred from purchasing.

You buy food, you buy clothes, when you have food waste or your T-shirt is finished, do you just toss it out on the road or in the nearest river? No you wait for garbage day and put them out to be picked up a hopefully properly disposed of.

Well a few AA batteries are not going to cause a big mess or stink up the house, so if you can wait 3 days to throw out those smelly fish remains you can wait a week to properly dispose of a few AA batteries.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

40 to 50 batteries a day for keep a phone running? This guy is crazy.

There is no excuse for fly-tipping of batteries.

Now we are using mostly rechargeable batteries in our home. However I never had a problem with disposal of batteries.

Small batteries of any kind are collected 2 times a month in our area as recycle trash, together with glass, cans, spray cans, pet bottles, cooking oil, paper and some other items.

When I bought a new car battery, the service shop kept the old broken battery. No extra charges.

Only one time I had to get rid of an old large heavy battery of a computer power backup unit of the company I was working. Everywhere refused. Finally I contacted a battery factory and they told me, if our company is willing to pay for the delivery fee, I should send it straight to their battery recycle facility and they will accept it.

They gave me an address to where to send it and a phone number of a company which came to our office to pick it up. The fee was fairly cheap, about the same you pay for delivery of a heavy suitcase from airport to your home..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The guy did not have access to an electrical outlet or refused to use one to charge his phone? That in itself is a big mystery.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Antiquesaving

I have used the same charger for years. It has a warning on it only to charge the same brand batteries. But as usual, you know better.

Aviva issues warning as battery chargers lead to fires

https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2021/12/aviva-issues-warning-as-battery-chargers-lead-to-fires/

Even batteries in smartphones and laptops have caused fires.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-07/lithium-batteries-in-phones-laptops-cordless-causing-house-fires/12483756

Batteries are now banned on airlines.

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/lithium-ion-safety-concerns

I use Amazon Basics for rechargeable batteries. They are good for 1900mAh.

We are all using more rechargeable devices but need to do so with care.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Batteries are now banned on airlines.

> https://batteryuniversity.com/article/lithium-ion-safety-concerns

As usual you give half the facts.

You read something that points out the extremes and take it as being everything, taking into account the billions and billions of lithium batteries out there and the relatively few fires it is near negligible but makes great headlines.

As for airplanes! Nope not banned, anyone here been told they cannot bring their smartphone or laptop on an airplane?

Safety regulations have been in place for decades. Lithium not lithium batteries but lithium itself is considered a hazardous material and has been regulated long before battery use. Airplanes including passenger and cargo limit the amount of lithium one can put on an airplane, this has always been in effect it was 2 grams of lithium (Japan post has the same rules for air freight) anything over 2 grams need to be shipped surface or in a special hazardous material air freight approved container.

So you can carry as many batteries as you want on to an airplane as long as the total amount of Lithium is under 2 grams ( the rub is knowing how much lithium is in each battery and proving it to the airline).

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

wallace

Today 02:18 pm JST

Just not to get confusion.

2 grams of lithium in battery or any other from is the world regulation regarding lithium being transported on and airplane whether cargo, check-in or carry-on.

As for the rest actually to do with Barrie's.

Each airline has its own regulations.

AirNZ permits 20 batteries rechargeable or disposable with a limit on the total kWh so 20 batteries may end up being only 5 if all are high kwh.

ANA it is 15 batteries but actually a higher total kWh than AirNZ.

Other than the 2 gram regulation set by the IATA, the amount of batteries on an airplane is more about your carry-on than safety because many airlines have no limit on the amount of regular batteries one can put on their check-in luggage, note again Regular batteries, lithium are limited to carry-on and still subject to 2 grams of lithium as well a kwh size.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Antiquesaving 

most airlines have banned lithium batteries from checked-in luggage and carry-on must be used subject to restrictions set by each airline.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

wallace

Today 03:38 pm JST

Antiquesaving

> most airlines have banned lithium batteries from checked-in luggage and carry-on must be used subject to restrictions set by each airline.

You don't read, do you?

I pointed out multiple times that lithium in any form has never been allowed in check-in luggage.

You understand the meaning of never been permitted?

Lithium is a hazardous material like Gasoline, etc...and has never been permitted in check-in luggage.

Since 1991 special regulations were made to permit up to 2 grams equivalent of lithium as part of the carry-on luggage.

This is not new it goes all the way back to the 1990s.

The regulations on lithium is set by each country's regulating authority based on IATA regulations and agreements not by the airline.

The airline can set what ever it wasn't concerning other types of batteries like alkaline NiMH etc..

Lithium is a set rule by the IATA/FAA/ transport Canada Japan's JCAB, etc ...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The FAA did not ban lithium batteries in checked luggage until about 2015.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Back on topic please.

I'm just surprised that a police officer actually caught him at 4:30 in the morning doing this. This part is overlooked. lol

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Undoubtedly bad, but on the other hand they’re only catching again the smallest fish. If those many grey zone recycling companies sometimes intentionally burn down their garbage and old tires mountains you can see and smell the pollution in the whole city and no one is acting or punishing them, in best case they send some fire brigades for a controlled complete burn down for not affecting neighborhoods, but that’s it, mostly even under radar and without big headlines. And this guy here with his some toy batteries is now exposed to media attentiveness and strict prosecution. Unbelievable.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What a moron! That’s a fortune in batteries and horrible for the environment. Who uses phone charger that has disposable batteries?

you can get a great rechargeable phone charger for like 3000 yen.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Death penalty

0 ( +0 / -0 )

With all that battery power I would think he needed his vibrator on full charge daily!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Interesting most of you mention your city only takes batteries as non-burnable. Shinjuku takes them every week on recycling day, so presumably are actually getting sent for recycling rather than tossed into a landfill. Aside from that though, every single electronics store chain has battery recycling boxes near the entrance. Super easy to deal with, no need to be putting them in waterways or landfills.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Would make a lot more sense if Convenience Stores allowed for disposal of batteries within a special container bin.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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