Bettery Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sustainable energy |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Fate | Acquired by Green Box Batteries (which became WeCycle Battery Box) |
| Headquarters | Portland , United States |
Area served | Pacific Northwest, United States |
| Products | Reusable battery exchange kiosks ("Swap Stations") |
BETTERY Inc. operated as a privately owned enterprise headquartered in Portland, Oregon, specializing in a retail service for exchanging reusable batteries. Their kiosks, known as "Swap Stations," allowed customers to buy pre-charged AA or AAA rechargeable batteries that performed like disposable ones and could be exchanged for fully charged units after use.
The firm deployed five of these kiosks within Whole Foods Market stores across the Pacific Northwest, along with an additional five located at Whole Foods and Safeway outlets in Seattle and Portland.
In 2014, ownership of the BETTERY brand transferred to Green Box Batteries based in Tacoma, Washington, which subsequently adopted the name WeCycle Battery Box.
Environmental Impact
While batteries account for just over 1% of waste by weight, they are a significant source of toxic heavy metals in landfills, including mercury (88%), cadmium (52%), and other elements such as zinc, manganese, lead, nickel, cobalt, and arsenic depending on the battery type. Utilizing reusable battery exchange services can diminish air pollution effects by up to 30 times compared to disposable batteries—equivalent to avoiding 1,243 miles of automobile emissions annually per user.
By promoting consumer use of rechargeable batteries, BETTERY contributed to lowering the quantity of battery waste in the United States, where approximately 90% of portable batteries are alkaline dry cells and over 10 billion units are produced worldwide each year—most ultimately discarded in landfills.
Each BETTERY rechargeable battery was designed for up to 1,000 reuse cycles before being recycled into raw materials. Additionally, customers could deposit conventional single-use batteries at BETTERY kiosks for metal recovery and material reclamation for manufacturing purposes.
History
Established in 2011 with the goal of minimizing waste through innovative reusable battery technology, BETTERY belonged to the sustainable energy industry. Supported by seasoned professionals from prominent battery manufacturers, kiosk operators, and technology companies, the company sought to revolutionize the portable power sector.
See also
External links
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Sustainable energy
- Privately held companies based in Oregon
- Companies based in Portland, Oregon
- Renewable resource companies established in 2011
- 2011 establishments in Oregon
- 2014 disestablishments in Oregon
- Renewable resource companies disestablished in 2014
- American companies established in 2011
- American companies disestablished in 2014
- 2014 mergers and acquisitions