OGDENSBURG – The American Automobile Club’s Western and Central New York division is sponsoring a collection of old or used lead-acid vehicle and marine batteries for recycling from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 7 at Rishe’s Auto Sales & Service, 1111 Paterson St.

Each battery collected will be recycled for free and generate a charitable donation to the Northern New York Audubon Society, a not-for-profit organization promoting appreciation and enjoyment of the natural world through education and stewardship. AAA recommends that consumers wear gloves and safety glasses when handling batteries, keep them upright and place batteries in a sturdy box or plastic container when transporting them for recycling.

The average car battery contains three pounds of plastic, one gallon of sulfuric acid, and 21 pounds of lead, all materials that can be recycled to manufacture new batteries. At least 97 percent of the lead contained in an automotive battery can be reused indefinitely.