Nickel-cadmium batteries are a type of rechargeable battery used in toys, cordless phones, power tools, and portable electronics. Nickel-cadmium batteries are safe for consumers, but the cadmium oxide used to produce them is a carcinogen as toxic as lead. In 2004, China consumed half the world’s cadmium, of which 70 to 80 percent was destined for production of nickel-cadmium batteries.

Nickel-cadmium batteries are cheap to produce, and the cleaner and more efficient rechargeable battery, the nickel metal hydride battery, costs more to make. According to The Wall Street Journal, American consumers save an average of $1.50 per toy that uses nickel-cadmium batteries, as opposed to other batteries.

According to the company website, GP BATTERIES is the largest consumer battery manufacturer in China. It is the tenth largest battery manufacturer in the world and second largest in Asia after Japan. GP BATTERIES has manufacturing facilities throughout China and other parts of Asia. They also have an office in San Diego, California, USA. GP BATTERIES 's clients have included: Wal-Mart, Hasbro, Panasonic, and other prominent electronics companies. In 2008, after news of cadmium poisoning spread, Mattel and Toys “R” Us decided to phase-out use of the nickel-cadmium battery in their products.

GP BATTERIES has claimed that it stopped producing nickel-cadmium batteries. However, workers say that the production has simply been subcontracted to other factories in other parts of China, where workers do not know about the toxicity of cadmium.

Help track nickel cadmium batteries. For more information, visit the Take Action page on this website to see how you can help.

If you find nickel cadmium batteries and want to properly dispose of them, Call 1-800-8-BATTERY or visit www.rbrc.com to find the recycling centers.